From Benin
The chairman of Ogbaru council of traditional rulers Igwe Obi Ogene has called on Igbos in the National Assembly to ensure that the Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah is not persecuted over the purchase of amoured vehicle for the aviation ministry because she is Igbo.
The traditional ruler who disclosed this to me on phone from his palace in Amiyi, Ogbaru local government area of Anambra state said it is regrettable that public opinion are being diverted to the issue of the purchase of vehicles rather than developmental strides the aviation sector has recorded during her tenure.
He said ‘am saddened that some enemies of progress and those who are jealous of her achievements in the aviation sector would rather want to divert attention to the purchase of vehicle in her Ministry rather than the achievements she has recorded ‘.
While not condoning corruption and not against the National Assembly exercise oversight function or the Federal Government setting up probe ‘but I hope this is not persecution against good performance, hard work on the basis of the fact that she is Igbo, I recall that such campaign of calumny had been waged in the recent past against the Minister of Finance and the coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr Okonjo Iweala and the Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison Madueke, these are most performing Ministers in their various Ministries and avid supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan.’
Igwe Ogene said the opponents of the Jonathan administration are already calling for the sack of the minister even when investigation or probe has not been concluded pointing out that her enemies want her sacked guilty or not guilty.
He has therefore called on Igbos in the National Assembly not to play good boys to the enemy of Igbos but must defend Igbo cause at all level. ‘if they succeed in humiliating Stella Oduah now you don’t know who will be humiliated next’, he concluded.
He said he is proud of the Ministers achievements so far in office.
