Senator representing Anambra North, Stella Oduah, has debunked reports by online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, linking her to a N86bn contract awarded for the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu during her tenure as Minister of Aviation.
The report in part reads:
"The stench of contractual fraud left behind by Senator Stella Oduah during her tenure as Minister of Aviation remains unceasing. Oduah, whose time as a minister under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was headlined by the dodgy contract of two bullet-proof BMW cars for her use, was elected senator in the last general elections.
"The latest installment of controversy of her legacy as a minister is coming from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which was closed down for over two years to allow for its upgrade into a real international airport. To this end, a contract was awarded at the cost of N86billion.
"The contractor's brief was to scrape off the original 2.6km runway that and construct an entirely new one. However, what was done the dressing of its surface and the addition of a new one-kilometer stretch to make it 3.6km. But even the new one was shoddily built, making it unable to meet the standard specifications for runway construction."
However, in a statement signed by her New Media aide, Abang Veronica, Oduah held that the publication was malicious, false and devoid of journalistic integrity.
"A malicious and completely false publication by Sahara Reporters about a contract awarded at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport during Princess Stella Oduah's tenure as the Aviation Minister, has been brought to the attention of her media team.
"The Senator who represents Anambra North Senatorial District, is quite disappointed with the manner in which a hand full of media outlets have jettisoned their integrity and the credibility of the Nigerian media as a whole, by publishing falsehood to deliberately mislead Nigerians and making the only means of livelihood for Nigerian journalists, more difficult than it already is.
"The Senator refutes all allegations made by Sahara Reporters on said contract.
"Stella Oduah states categorically for the record, that the contract was awarded by her predecessor and challenges the online medium to provide evidence if it has any, to counter this.
"Senator Stella Oduah, a serving member of the Senate Committee on Aviation, wishes to use this opportunity to urge serious and credible media houses to strive, no matter how hard, to apply due diligence, run thorough fact checks, before going to print, to save Nigeria and Nigerians from ill-intentioned publications such as this, from Sahara Reporters," the statement read.
Subscribe by Email
Follow Updates Articles from This Blog via Email
No Comments