President Goodluck Jonathan sacks Stella Oduah, three other Nigerian ministers

President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked Stella Oduah, the minister of aviation, along with Godsday Orubebe, minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, minister of Police Affairs, and Yerima Ngama, minister of State for Finance.

The president announced their sacking at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, February 12. 

All the ministers, except Oduah, attended the meeting.

Labaran Maku, minister of information who made the announcement said: “Today, the President announced further changes in the Federal Executive Council. He said a number of ministers have been asked to step out of the council to further their own interests; some in politics, others in their own private focus.

“Clearly, what the President did today (Wednesday) was to allow the ministers who have indicated interest in pursuing further goals in the polity, in the economy and in the life of the country, to go.

“Those asked by the President to go include the following: Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama; Minister of Police Affairs, Navy-Capt. Caleb Olubolade (retd.); Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe; and Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah.

“In announcing the acceptance of their decision to participate in the polity, the President thanked them very sincerely for the great job they have done in helping the government realise the goals that have been achieved under the transformation agenda.

“The President believes that they have done so well for this administration and is generally happy with what they have done, particularly in their various sectors, to help the administration realise the goals we have seen today in the results we have arrived at under the transformation programme of the government.

“The President said he had asked them to go because of their interests. They have indicated interests in pursuing higher and deeper interests in the polity; and so, he has decided to allow them to go and pursue those interests. You have to get that correctly so that you won’t go and say something like what was said in the case of the former Chief of Staff (to the President)."

According to Maku, Samuel Ortom, minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment will be supervising the Aviation ministry, Olajumoke Akinjide, minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, will supervise the Police Affairs ministry, Dairus Ishaku, minister of State, Niger Delta will be in charge of that of teh Niger Delta affairs, while Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance will take over Ngama's duties.

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