More on Oduahgate: Minister to appear before Senate today

Princess Oduah

The Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, is scheduled to appear before the senate on Thursday (today) to brief the upper legislative chamber about the state of the aviation industry, particularly the unfortunate crash involving the Associated Airlines flight on October 3.

Oduah was scheduled to appear before the senators last week Thursday but was shifted because  Senate President David Mark was not available and he had requested to personally preside over the probe session.

It will be recalled that Oduah could not also appear before the Senate last week Wednesday during plenary because she had sought a last minute permission from the Senators to attend the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.

Oduah had been summoned by the upper legislative chamber to explain her roles in the ill-fated plane that crashed while conveying the remains of former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu, from Lagos to Akure.

Our correspondent learnt on Wednesday that the senators might restrict their questions to the general state of the aviation industry and how to avoid future plane crashes. A source in the Senate Committee on Aviation told our correspondent that since the House of Representatives were already probing the minister on the controversial purchase of the N255m bullet proof cars, asking questions on the same issue would not make much sense.

“Since a senate committee is already doing investigation on the bullet proof cars allegedly bought for Oduah,  I think the senate will only concentrate on the frequent air crashes and what was being done to curtail its reoccurrence,” the source said.

Oduah has been on the firing line of public rage since it was revealed that the cash-strapped National Civil Aviation Authority was forced to buy two BMW armoured cars for the minister at a whooping cost of N255m.