President Goodluck Jonathan has finally bowed to pressure mounted on him to sack the embattled minster of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who was found culpable in the shady procurement of N226m armoured cars.
Other ministers who fell under the axe of the president today include; Godswin Orubebe (Niger Delta), Caleb Olubolade (Police Affairs) and Yerima Ngama (State for Finance).
Jonathan announced their sack at today’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which is still going on at the moment.
President was reported to have resisted pressure to sack Stella Oduah even after the panel enquiry set up by the Federal Government found her culpable in the controvercial armoured cars scandal.
Oduah was the Director of Finance, Neighbour2Neighbour, a group that mobilized supports for President Jonathan in the build to the 2011 presidential elections. Oduah’s contributions during the electioneering many believed earned her the juicy aviation portfolio.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, told Villa reporters after the FEC meeting that Jonathan asked minister to vacate their positions to allow them pursue their political and private business interests which they had signified.
He said the president thanked the affected ministers for their contributions to the transformation agenda of his administration.
Maku said pending the appointment of substantive ministers, the Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, has been asked to supervise the Ministry of Police Affairs; while the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Sam Ortom, has been asked to supervise the aviation ministry.
He added that the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Gayius Isiaku, would supervise the ministry; while the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would have to combine her work with that of Yerima Ngama who was also dropped.
