THERE
was outrage on Thursday as the Senate rescinded its resolution to
have the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, appear before its
members over the October 3 Associated Airlines’ plane crash in Lagos.
Oduah is now to appear before the
Senate Committee on Aviation alongside the Chief Executive Officers of
the aviation agencies under her ministry.
The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba,
who moved a motion for the lawmakers to have a rethink on the invitation
of the minister, had argued that the action was based on the Senate
Standing Order 53 (6) which empowers it to reverse its decisions.
He also explained that the decision was earlier reached at an executive committee meeting of the Senate last week.
Senator Ganiyu Solomon, who seconded the
motion, said, “At the executive session last week, the senators
were unanimous in the decision that the resolution should be rescinded
and that the minister should rather face the aviation committee.”
There was however deafening silence
when the Senate President, David Mark, called for comments from the
senators and none of them offered any contrary opinion.
When Mark requested votes from his
colleagues on whether to approve or reject the prayers contained in the
motion, all of them voted in support.
The Senate decision came on a day
that one of the victims of the Associated Airlines’ plane crash
and the Ondo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Deji
Falae, was buried in Akure.
Ndoma – Egba had last week informed his
colleagues that Oduah and the executives of the aviation agencies
would be received during Thursday’s plenary.
But the Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session last week, had
said the minister and her team would not be received because Mark was
leading the Federal Government delegation to support the Golden
Eaglets in the United Arab Emirates.
He said the Senate President had signified his intention to personally preside over the session on Thursday(today).
The Chairman of the Senate Aviation
Committee, Hope Uzodinma, later explained why the senators made a
U-turn on their earlier decision to have Oduah appear before them
during Thursday’s plenary.
He said the action would enable the
Senate to carry out a thorough investigation into other issues
affecting the Aviation ministry and its agencies instead of
limiting the probe to the October 3 plane crash.
Uzodinma said, “You will recall that
the invitation to the minister was just in relation to the crash of the
Associated airline plane. Now, during this period, fresh issues emerged
which called for a holistic and well researched investigation.
“As it is the practice of the Senate,
such investigation is better started from the committee and then the
report will be submitted to the plenary.
“This is exactly what the Senate has
done now. I think it is proper and it is in order and it is in
accordance with the Senate rules.”
He described as untrue, insinuations
that the Senate leadership was under tremendous pressure from the
Presidency to give Oduah, a soft landing.
The committee chairman said, “I don’t know where you people heard that but what
I have just said is in order and that is
the rule and that is what we are doing and that is what is authentic
and that is out now from me to you.
“I told you that the invitation was
just in relation to the plane crash involving Associated aircraft, the
Senate became worried that there were these repeated occurrences of air
crashes and that they needed to know what is happening in the sector.
“Now, being insensitive to the opinion
and feelings of the people would not be good since fresh issues have
emerged and that this would push us to details and so that we can
carry out a full scale investigation.
“The Senate has now, in its wisdom,
decided to go into full scale investigation so as to be able to look
into the sector very holistically with a view to bringing to bear, a
permanent solution. And that is exactly what we are going to do.”
Asked when Nigerians should be
expecting the committee to invite the minister, Uzodinma said, “well,
the timetable will be worked out as soon as we meet at the committee
level.
“We have a meeting this Thursday(yesterday) afternoon at the committee level just to design a template for that.”
It was however gathered that decision
of the Senate to reverse itself might not be unconnected with the fact
that its leadership was not favourably disposed to embarrassing her.
Investigations revealed that highly
placed individuals had been mounting subtle pressure on the Senate
leadership since it resolved to invite Oduah to the plenary.
It was learnt that the leadership of the
Senate felt that many outspoken senators, especially those in the
opposition camp, might seize the opportunity to ask questions or make
comments that might further embarrass the minister and the Peoples
Democratic Party-led Federal Government.
A source in the Senate , who pleaded
to remain anonymous, said, “From the look of things, the leadership of
the Senate was not too keen about sanctioning the woman.”
Asked why none of the Senators made any
comment when Mark offered them the opportunity, the source replied,
“Everybody had read Mark’s body language and felt that making
comments could attract sanctions.
“The Senate president, according to his
deputy, had during plenary last week Thursday said he would want to be
present when the minister would appear. So how come the tone changed
suddenly?”
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana
(SAN), and the Chairman, Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar
Association,Monday Chima, however, flayed the U-turn by the Senate.
They said the move was part of the plan by the Senate and the Presidency to sweep the matter under the carpet.
PUNCH
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