Stella Oduah responds to allegations of N2.5bn found in her housemaid's account
Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:54:am National
2.3K By Buchi Obichie
In response to allegations over the weekend that N2.5bn had been traced to the account of a housemaid of former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah; the Senator has issued a statement dismissing those claims.
According to online news portal, Sahara Reporters, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had traced the money to the account of the unnamed maid; which was allegedly opened by the former Minister, using the maid as cover.
The statement which was signed by the Senator's Head of Communications read:
The attention of Senator Stella Oduah who represents Anambra North Senatorial District has been draw to another malicious and fictitious rumour by online tabloid Sahara Reporters that a non-existent source in the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has discovered the sum of N2.5 Billion in an account opened in the name of an unnamed housemaid of Senator Stella Oduah.
We would like to state unequivocally that this report is totally false, baseless and at best the imagination of the platform who is only set out to extort and blackmail leaders in its continuous attempt by their paymasters to break the rank of Senators of the 8th Assembly.
Over the past few months, the once respected online platform, Sahara Reporters has continued to surpass itself by continuously sinking to an all time low of posting uncorroborated reports to mislead Nigerians to promote the agenda of certain elements who's fight against corruption can only been seen on pages of newspaper and pockets of their media spinners while millions of Nigerians remain unemployed and hundreds of thousands of kids go to bed hungry day in day out.
The online platform claimed their sources in the EFCC said a whopping N5.6 billion must have been stolen, then went further to contradict itself that the agency had determined it was N3.6 billion then again reduced it to N2.5 billion in the same publication. The distinguish Senator laments the despicable low that Sahara Reporters has drawn the reputable profession of journalism too which unfortunately unsuspecting platforms will copy and paste on theirs without even lifting a pen to confirm the story.
Senator further went to challenge if truly such an account exists as claimed by the online platform and it is still operational and she not the so called housemaid have not been called in for questioning when the agency is freezing accounts and going after opposition governors who enjoy same level of immunity as the president.
We also want to state that while the online platform, well known for its penchant lies and spurious allegations may have made another calculated attempt to taint the enviable record and achievements of the distinguished Senator who had made a mark in Oil/Gas and Agricultural businesses before joining politics, we therefore challenge Sahara Reporters to produce evidence of the imaginary account of the supposed housemaid to members of the public.
Senator Stella Oduah who made a name for herself during her tenure as a minister instituting serious reforms in the aviation sector and in last one year as a Distinguish Senator has raised series of important Bills and Motions to help strengthen the Nigerian Economy and our institutions reiterated that at no time did she ask or try to meet with the EFCC Chairman
Senator Stella Oduah who is currently in her constituency thanked her supporters and well wishers who have reached out to vent their frustrations at the unethical behavior of the tabloid assured them that there is nothing to worry about, restating that no such account exist and challenged Sahara reporters to present details of their funding and how the platform is able to afford a property in choice area of Maitama in Abuja"Ž.
Signed
Francisca Onyeisi ( ugleglo@gmail.com)
Head of a Communications
office of Senate Stella Oduah
According to online news portal, Sahara Reporters, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had traced the money to the account of the unnamed maid; which was allegedly opened by the former Minister, using the maid as cover.
The statement which was signed by the Senator's Head of Communications read:
The attention of Senator Stella Oduah who represents Anambra North Senatorial District has been draw to another malicious and fictitious rumour by online tabloid Sahara Reporters that a non-existent source in the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has discovered the sum of N2.5 Billion in an account opened in the name of an unnamed housemaid of Senator Stella Oduah.
We would like to state unequivocally that this report is totally false, baseless and at best the imagination of the platform who is only set out to extort and blackmail leaders in its continuous attempt by their paymasters to break the rank of Senators of the 8th Assembly.
Over the past few months, the once respected online platform, Sahara Reporters has continued to surpass itself by continuously sinking to an all time low of posting uncorroborated reports to mislead Nigerians to promote the agenda of certain elements who's fight against corruption can only been seen on pages of newspaper and pockets of their media spinners while millions of Nigerians remain unemployed and hundreds of thousands of kids go to bed hungry day in day out.
The online platform claimed their sources in the EFCC said a whopping N5.6 billion must have been stolen, then went further to contradict itself that the agency had determined it was N3.6 billion then again reduced it to N2.5 billion in the same publication. The distinguish Senator laments the despicable low that Sahara Reporters has drawn the reputable profession of journalism too which unfortunately unsuspecting platforms will copy and paste on theirs without even lifting a pen to confirm the story.
Senator further went to challenge if truly such an account exists as claimed by the online platform and it is still operational and she not the so called housemaid have not been called in for questioning when the agency is freezing accounts and going after opposition governors who enjoy same level of immunity as the president.
We also want to state that while the online platform, well known for its penchant lies and spurious allegations may have made another calculated attempt to taint the enviable record and achievements of the distinguished Senator who had made a mark in Oil/Gas and Agricultural businesses before joining politics, we therefore challenge Sahara Reporters to produce evidence of the imaginary account of the supposed housemaid to members of the public.
Senator Stella Oduah who made a name for herself during her tenure as a minister instituting serious reforms in the aviation sector and in last one year as a Distinguish Senator has raised series of important Bills and Motions to help strengthen the Nigerian Economy and our institutions reiterated that at no time did she ask or try to meet with the EFCC Chairman
Senator Stella Oduah who is currently in her constituency thanked her supporters and well wishers who have reached out to vent their frustrations at the unethical behavior of the tabloid assured them that there is nothing to worry about, restating that no such account exist and challenged Sahara reporters to present details of their funding and how the platform is able to afford a property in choice area of Maitama in Abuja"Ž.
Signed
Francisca Onyeisi ( ugleglo@gmail.com)
Head of a Communications
office of Senate Stella Oduah
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