Tag Archives: Oduah

Activist wants court to bar Saraki, Oduah from screening Magu as EFCC chairman

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Raji Oyewumi, an activist, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify Senate President Bukola Saraki, and 10 other senators from participating in the screening and confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of EFCC.

Mr. Oyewumi, an anti-corruption crusader, in a suit filed in the court on Tuesday, alleged that Mr. Saraki and other senators joined in the suit would be biased if allowed to screen Magu.

Joined in the suit dated February 13, are senators Godswill Akpabio, Jonah Jang, Aliyu Wammako, Stella Oduah, Theodore Orji and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

?Also joined in the suit are senators Ahmed Sani, Danjuma Goje, Joshua Dariye and Abdullahi Adamu.

Others are the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Mr. Magu.

According to Mr. Oyewumi, the senators cannot be fair in the screening and confirmation of Magu, since all of them have pending cases before the EFCC?.

?According to him, Mr. Saraki and others are threatened by the leadership of Mr. Magu as EFCC chairman.

He asked the court to determine whether the senate president and other senators would not violate the provisions of Section 56, 172 of paragraph? 1 and 9 of the fifth schedule to the 1999 constitution if they participate in screening Magu.

He prayed the court for an injunction restraining the senate president from presiding over or participating in the screening, deliberation and voting on the nomination of Magu as EFCC chairman.

In the affidavit in support of the ?originating summons, the activist said that the senate president exhibited bias against the confirmation of Magu.

He said the bias was shown when he failed or refused to read the President’s letter on the floor of the Senate until three weeks after.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter?.

 

Source: NAN

Defamation: Oduah Threatens Online Medium With Legal Action

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Former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah has vowed to take legal action against an online publication, Sahara Reporters over an alleged malicious publication linking her by the medium with an alleged N2.5billion fraud.

Oduah said the planned court action has become necessary so as to checkmate the excesses of the Sahara Reporters and put the tabloid back on the right track of journalism in the interest of the country and those wishing to serve in government.

Senator Oduah, representing Anambra North Senatorial District has been linked to an alleged malicious and fictitious fraud by the online tabloid, the Sahara Reporters that a non-existing source in the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered the sum of N2.5 billion in an account opened in the name of un-named housemaid of the senator.

In a statement in Abuja, by the Head of Communication in the office of Senator Oduah, Francisca Onyeisi, the ex-aviation minister said that the report was totally false, baseless and at best the imagination of the platform which she said was only set out to extort and blackmail leaders in its continuous attempt to break the rank of Senators of the 8th Assembly.

The statement said that over the past few months, the online platform, Sahara Reporters has continued to surpass itself by continuously sinking to an all-time low of posting uncorroborated reports to mislead Nigerians to promote the agenda of certain elements whose fight against corruption can only been seen on pages of newspapers and pockets of their media spinners while millions of Nigerians remained unemployed and hundreds of thousands of kids go to bed hungry day in day out.

Credit: Leadership

Federal High Court Throws Out Stella Oduah’s Case To Stop Bulletproof Cars Probe

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A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, against the Attorney General of the Federation and three others.

Justice Okon Abang, who dismissed Oduah’s suit for want of jurisdiction today, ordered her to pay a cost of N15,000 to the AGF.

Oduah had filed the suit in August last year praying the court to restrain agencies of the Federal Government from questioning or prosecuting her over the purchase of two armoured BMW vehicles at a cost of N255m by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority under her watch as the Aviation Minister in 2013.

In her suit, Oduah claimed to have already been probed and exonerated by the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and urged Justice Abang to declare that any further probe would amount to violating her fundamental rights.

The respondents in the suit were the AGF, the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and the Inspector General of Police.

Oduah alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress intended to use the respondents to persecute her, being a prominent member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

She claimed that the Federal Government had perfected plans to try prominent members of the PDP on trump up charges in a special Lagos State High Court, so as to turn the country into a one-party state.

She begged the court to restrain the respondents from unleashing repression against her.

But the EFCC denied doing the bidding of the APC, claiming that it was independent.

It furnished the court with a petition dated October 18, 2013 written by a lawyer from the chambers of Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), calling for Oduah’s investigation.

The EFCC disclosed that the said petition was captioned, ‘Request for Investigation of Economic and Financial Crimes of the sum of N255m by Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah’.

The EFCC urged the court to dismiss Oduah’s suit.

But in his judgment, Justice Abang dismissed the EFCC’s objection for not complying with Order 8 Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure.

“The EFCC did not file any opposition in line with the law,” Justice Abang held.

The judge, however, upheld the preliminary objection filed by the AGF, who challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Lagos to entertain Oduah’s suit.

Counsel for the AGF, T.A. Gazali, had contended that since the rights violation that Oduah alleged did not happen in Lagos, it would be a violation of Section 46(1) of the constitution and Order 2 Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure to entertain the case in Lagos.

“From the whole of the applicant’s averments, there is nowhere she mentioned that her right was or is being breached by the respondents within the territorial space called Lagos.

“There is nothing to show that the applicant was invited, arrested or detained in Lagos by any of the respondents in the suit.

“The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos cannot assume jurisdiction to entertain alleged breach of fundamental rights that did not take place in Lagos State,” Gazali had argued.

Justice Abang upheld Gazali’s argument and dismissed Oduah’s case.

The judge also held that if the Federal Government had any valid reason to arraign Oduah in a Lagos State High Court as she alleged, it would not amount a violation of her right.

Meanwhile, in another judgment, Justice Abang also refused a prayer to stop the EFCC and the Department of State Services from arresting and probing a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs and the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku.

The judge dismissed Kuku’s suit for lacking in merit, but restrained the respondents from detaining him beyond 48 in contravention of Section 35(4)(5) of the Constitution.

Source – punchnews.ng

Uba, Oduah Approach Supreme Court For Clarification Of Judgment

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Indications emerged at the weekend that the nine federal lawmakers repre­senting Anambra State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the National Assembly, in­cluding Senators Andy Uba and Stella Oduah may return to the Supreme Court this week for clarification regard­ing their status with respect to its judgment on the leader­ship crisis rocking the party in the state.

Interestingly, Chief Chris Ubah, John Emeka, Annie Okonkwo and others on the list of Ejike Oguebego-led national executive of the party, who got judgment of the Supreme Court, have approached the Independent National Electoral Commis­sion (INEC) to issue them Certificates of Return as elected senators and House of Representatives members for Anambra State.

Already, Uba and Oduah have written to INEC insist­ing that the judgment did not affect their seats in the Na­tional Assembly.

Sources said that the motion seeking clarification of the judgment became nec­essary in view of the insinua­tions that the lawmakers may have lost their seats by the judgment of the apex court.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of INEC by their lawyer, Chief Arthur Oka­for (SAN), the politicians insisted that the Supreme Court judgment delivered last Friday has not in any way rendered their seats va­cant in both chambers of the National Assembly.

The January 29 letter stated that the lawmakers urged the INEC chairman to “resist the machinations of those who are ill-motivated and bent on causing confu­sion in the system. If you find that the national ex­ecutive of PDP, which, in the case, nominated our cli­ents, then in the absence of a court order, there will be no compulsion or justifica­tion on your part to interfere with the mandate vested in our clients by the PDP and the electorate.”

They insisted that the primary election which pro­duced them as candidates for the 2015 general elec­tions was conducted by the national secretariat of the PDP as required by law and not the Anambra chapter of the PDP as being insinuated.

Credit: Sun

Supreme Court Sacks Stella Oduah, Andy Uba from Senate

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The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the nullification of the elections of Stella Oduah and Andy Uba as the senators representing Anambra North and Anambra South senatorial zones respectively.

Both Oduah and Uba were elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. With the latest rulings, PDP no longer have any senator from Anambra State.

The apex court had earlier sacked Uche Ekwunife, also elected on the card of PDP, but has since defected to the All Progressives Congress.

Aviation Ministry Funding Stopped After Oduah Left- Perm. Sec.

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The Senate ad hoc Committee on Aviation which is chaired by Rabiu Kwankwaso (APC-Kano State) Tuesday, held a public hearing on Tuesday.

Heads of parastatals and other officials of the Ministry of Aviation led by the Permanent Secretary, Binta Bello, attended the hearing at the National Assembly.

Ms. Bello lamented the challenge of funding which she said was affecting the Nigerian aviation sector, particularly infrastructure at various airports.

Ms. Bello said, “We have financial constraints. Budgetary provision can never finance the projects that were opening up in all the airports in Nigeria.”

She hailed the remodeling of the airports under former Minister of Aviation, now Senator, Stella Oduah.
Ms. Bello, however, said the projects were stalled as funding for the projects stopped immediately Ms. Oduah was removed.

“She (Oduah) started a very good job. Every airport was opened up. Well she’s sitting here. She may tell us where she got the funds. But records showed she got the money from intervention funds.

“Since she left, these intervention funds stopped. We depend on budget. On capital project, we got very little amount of money which can in no way take care of over 150 projects in our airports.”

Credit: PremiumTimes

Court Stops EFCC, Others From Inviting Oduah

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Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the  Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stay action in connection with the BMW bullet proof cars allegedly bought by Senator Stella Oduah, while serving  as minister of aviation.

The court restrained EFCC, and other agencies from taking action relating to the probe of Oduah on the controversial vehicles, pending the hearing and determination of fundamental rights suit filed before the court. The court’s order, dated August 26, 2015, was sequel to a motion ex-parte marked FHC/L/CS/1342/2014, filed before the court by  Oduah, the senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District, on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Joined in the fundamental rights suit are; the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and Inspector-General of the Federation, IGP, as first, third and fourth respondents. The court  also granted leave to Senator Oduah, who was the Minister of Aviation between 2011 and 2013, to serve the originating processes and all other processes meant for service in the suit to all the respondents outside Lagos State and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Oduah, in her  statement of claim, stated that there was a move by the respondents, doing the bidding of her political adversaries, to persecute, prosecute and humiliate her.

Read More: sunnewsonline

Church Renames Oduah ‘Veronica Of Our Time’

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You might be conversant with the story of Veronica who occupies the centerpiece of the 6th Station of the Cross-, a prayer often prominent during the Lenten period among the Catholics, Anglicans and some other orthodox churches.

Though some scholars doubt the authenticity of St. Veronica and her action because it was not expressly stated in the New Testament of the Bible during the Passion of Christ, The Wikipedia noted that according to church tradition, Veronica was moved with pity when she saw Jesus Christ carrying His cross on the way to Golgotha that she wiped the face of Jesus with her veil to ease his suffering and miraculously, the face of Christ appeared on the veil.

The lesson in the legendary story is that Veronica is remembered globally for her good deed and is used as a symbolic name for all who lend a helping hand to others in great need. Talking about good deeds, Sophocles said to be doing good deeds is man’s glorious task on earth. The great Budha also said: “Justas treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.”

Sallust while underscoring the fruits and strength of good deeds also said: “Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit and honesty.”

Good deeds attract both earthly and heavenly rewards and so recently, the parishioners of Queen of Apostles Catholic Church, Housing Estate, Fegge, Onitsha gave a resounding testimony on the good deeds of Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation and the Senator-elect for Anambra North zone.

It was a Sunday morning and the princess just decided to worship at that church in continuation of her thanksgiving to God and the people for the love they showered on her. The princess and her entourage on entry to the church coincidentally met Rev. Fr. Christopher Onuekwusi, a Catholic priest, who knew much about her and once had several encounters with the princess and her charity works when he was at St. Gregory Catholic Church, Iyiowa Odekpe.

It was during the homily that the cleric literarily lifted the veil off the face of Princess Oduah by cataloguing her footprints to the already excited congregation. He nicknamed Princess Oduah the ‘Great Church Builder’.

Reeling out some of the positive things Oduah had done to touch humanity, he recalled when she distributed more than 20 Hummer buses to youths who wanted to pursue a career in the transportation sector. He recalled activities ranging from scholarships to university students and building of churches.

“She is somebody who feels for the people and wants the progress of all. Payment of school fees, sponsorship of students in the seminary school and rendering assistance to priests. Princess Oduah took after her mother in generosity because I remember that her mother, the late Josephine also paid for my hospital bill when I fell sick many years ago. She has been doing all these before she became minister and she made Nigeria proud with her achievements in the aviation sector,” the cleric said.

The parish priest of the church, Rev. Fr. Innocent Egbunike in his own speech stunned everybody when he called up Princess Oduah for special prayers and later declared her the “Veronica of our own time.”

He said: “We want to make your visit a unique one that you will never forget. The only thing I will promise you is prayer but in the same vein, I am happy that people like you are now joining active politics. I also advise those seeking elective positions to have the interests of the masses at heart on getting there.

“As the chaplain of the Catholic Laity Council in Onitsha Archdiocese, I want to approach your visit here from the spiritual angle. I have thought about how to receive you here as the one who has the welfare of the church and priests at heart. I checked and only one thing came to my mind.

“I think the name Stella was given to you in error. So, after thinking about it, the parish decided to rename you the ‘Veronica’ of our own time. “Veronica was the lady, who wiped the face of Jesus Christ because of the torture inflicted on him by the Jews. You have now taken that position with Veronica by wiping the faces of poor people in our midst. Take politics aside, your foundation has done a lot in this direction.”

At the peak of the ceremony, the parishioners through the parish council and the parish priest presented a souvenir to the princess.

According to the cleric, the gift was in recognition of all her achievements and continuous efforts to better humanity. He maintained that all political office holders should address the problems of the society when they are elected into office.

Credit: sunnewsonline

Oduah Unfolds Social Contract With Anambra North

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On September 4, 2014, illustrious sons and daughters of Anambra North Senatorial zone, under the auspices of Anambra North Development Forum, converged on Sharon Hall, Onitsha  to discuss some pertinent issues that were critical to the growth and development of the zone.

At the forum, the common denominator in the discourse was that the seven local governments of Anambra North Senatorial District were created in 1991, along with other councils of Anambra State, but today, compared to others, a lot more was desired in the zone. Ironically, the zone still boasts of great sons and daughters that are highly educated, influential and highly placed in both the private and public sectors.

Nigeria‘s former Aviation Minister and the Senator-elect for Anambra North zone, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, presented a paper in the forum entitled: “Anambra North: Perishable Agriculture –The way to go for rapid rural development.” Though the contents of her presentation would be the subject for another day, Oduah did lament that the zone was yet to take its pride of place in Anambra State and Nigeria at large.

She said: “Today, our communities are faced with challenges beyond their comprehension. Despite our huge human and natural resources, our people remain on the lower rungs of the economic and political ladder.  Although, we have measured tremendous economic growth as indicated by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) index, this growth does not necessarily reflect the level of contentment of our people as compared to other nations of the world; it measures neither prosperity nor well-being.

“The politicians and bureaucrats, who represent our people are unable to understand why the enormous growth in economic activity in our country and the communities they come from, has led to the rising unemployment, increasing poverty, spreading urban slums and migrations from rural communities to cities, they can’t understand that the growths they are promoting are malignant-believing that the sickness that affects our society today –growth in crime, drug abuse, family breakdowns, civil disorder and environmental degradation are no more than the normal phenomena, which inevitably accompany economic development and progress.

“So, they concentrate their political, economic and social programmes on initiatives whose primary purpose is to make GDP grow quantitatively without its regards to the impact on our vulnerable communities.

“Only effective political representation of our people can offer real hope and change the situation.  This will be my social contract with the good people of Anambra North Senatorial district, of which I am an integral part of its rich history and culture. My experience in both the public and private sectors has prepared me for this task, in which networking capability, interpersonal ability and management of both human and material resources, is a necessary prerequisite for success at the National Assembly.

“The high point of this responsibility was my appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan, as the nation’s Minister of Aviation in 2012. That mandate oversaw the remodeling, construction, provision of runways, navigational equipment, control towers and security provisions at 22 airport locations in Nigeria.

“This was only possible through my ability to work at the highest level of government and with interactions with Ministers of Finance, Environment, Water, Works and a host of 22 state governments including the organised private sector.

“As a senator representing Anambra North, I definitely will use this networking ability to explore every opportunity to bring development to our rural communities, the urban centres and position of youths, women and other qualified people for employment in government and the private sector.”

Read More: sunnewsonline