Oduahgate: Jonathan under pressure to save embattled minister

The embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah and President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan is currently under pressure to spare the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, over her role in the purchase of two bulletproof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, investigation by The PUNCH has revealed.

The people that are asking Jonathan to save the neck of Oduah were said to be telling the President not to mind the report of the administrative panel he set up to investigate the minister's role in the controversial N255m luxury cars.

The panel headed by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Bello, had submitted its report to Jonathan since last Wednesday but the President has not said anything about its content.

A source told our correspondent that a top government official from the South-East, the same geopolitical zone with the embattled minister, is currently in the forefront of the campaign to save her.

The source however did not disclose the identities of those who have been enlisted in the campaign.

He said that part of the campaign agenda had started manifesting in a section of the media where the content of the panel's report was being speculated with a view to giving the minister an edge.

"There is no development on the matter yet because there is a lot of pressure. We know who the arrowhead of the campaign is," the source said.

The President will be leaving the country for London in the early hours of Wednesday (today) without making a pronouncement on the issue.

He is expected back in the country during the weekend.

The delay in making pronouncement on the report is being seen as a way of buying time for the minister.

A top Presidency source had earlier told our correspondent that the President would rather base his decision on the recommendation of the panel and shun the report of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.

Critics at the onset had said the probe panel by Jonathan was set up to divert attention from the armoured car purchase and to also cover up the minister.