The former Aviation Minister is now to head a Research and Strategy unit in the Presidency which would ultimately spearhead the President’s campaign for re-election in 2015.
Oduah, according to an aide of the President who did not want to be quoted, would be appointed as the Director General in the new department with a specific mandate to co-ordinate all the groups that are positioning themselves to campaign for Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.
As at the last count, not less than 115 different groups and non-governmental organisations were in place to brace the Campaign for re-election by the President as while each of them has been waiting for the President to declare his intent to run in the next Presidential election.
The former Minister bowed out of office early in February on the advice of President Jonathan amid consistent calls for her sack from the National Assembly, the international community and aggrieved Nigerians over the purchase of armoured cars by the Aviation Ministry, at a cost of N225 million.
According to the source, Princes Oduah, along with three other cabinet ministers; former Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe and former Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama voluntarily resigned their appointments because of personal political ambition.
The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who briefed newsmen about the resignation of Oduah and others implied specifically that Oduah was not sacked based on the armoured car scam, stating, “Allegations don’t necessarily mean guilt and I think the press should always be patient. But the truth of the matter is that they left because they indicated interest in playing deeper roles in the politics of the country and the President had decided to let them go”.
Before being appointed as Aviation Minister, Oduah had played very prominent role in the campaign that aided Jonathan to win the 2011 Presidential election as she literally anchored the Neighbour To Neighbour Campaign Group, serving as the Auditor.
Presidency was already fine-tuning arrangements for kick off of President Jonathan’s 2015 Campaign, while Odua came to mind as a possible joker in the plans, given the strategic role she played in 2011 when Jonathan’s campaign was in full swing.
Jonathan’s campaign for 2015, according to report, is to kick off in May this year with expected declaration of his intent to run in the next Presidential election.
The president has been cautious in throwing his hat in the ring notwithstanding pressure on him to that effect, just as he keeps reiterating that his early declaration or otherwise would create some untoward consequences for democracy at the moment.
Efforts to get the former Minister’s comment on the development proved abortive as she was said to have been out of network service. But one of her close aides assure that she would address the media at the appropriate time on whatever role she would play in the build up to 2015.
