Stella Oduah: Allegation of evading EFCC mischievous

The Senator representing Anambra North in the National Assembly, Sen. Stella Oduah, has described as mischievous, recent reports that she was evading invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Oduah said that the report was the handiwork of political detractors whose aim is to pitch the anti-graft agency against her.


Reports in some national dailies and online media reported on Sunday that the Chairman Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration was evading invitations to the commission to defend a N9.4 billion contract awarded during her time as Aviation Minister.

However the senator stressed that the story was mere fabrications which did not emanate from the EFCC, adding that she had been in constant correspondence with the commission.

The lawmaker said she is already in talks with her lawyer to sue for defamation of character.

She said that she is willing to defend her stewardship during her time as minister, adding that she followed due processes in all her dealings while in charge of the ministry.

“The season of politics is here again and some people must play the politics of pull down syndrome, this is what perhaps informed the fabrications in the story.

“How else do you explain that a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a law abiding citizen, a chief executive officer of multinational companies, would be evasive to honour an invitation if not a mere mischief, that is informed by dirty politics.

“Even the publication did not say that I stole any government money or awarded contracts to myself,” she said.

The senator said that she had carved a niche for herself in the business world, within and outside the shores of Nigeria even before she ventured into the murky waters of Nigerian politics in 2010.

According to her, she is a citizen of Nigeria, who has no other home but Nigeria and would not be distracted by activities of her detractors.

She stated further that this would not be the first time her detractors would want to use the media to tarnish her hard earned image.b

Oduah stressed that the sinister purpose of the news story is to pitch her against the Commission and the general public.

She therefore urged her detractors to leave her alone and learn to play the politics of hard facts and issues.

She stated that contracts awarded under her watch as a minister were done in her official capacity and they went through due process.

The senator added that in her time as minister, she transformed the aviation sector and followed all established processes and procedures.