Betta Edu Will Not be Reappointed – Tinubu Tells Party Leaders
Bola Ahmed Tinubu has firmly rejected any notion of reinstating Dr. Betta Edu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Edu was suspended from her position on January 8 due to her alleged involvement in a financial scandal amounting to billions of Naira within the ministry.
An investigation revealed Edu’s unauthorized approval of hundreds of millions of Naira in payments to private companies and civil servants, in violation of existing regulations.
One such payment was a sum of N585 million transferred to a United Bank for Africa (UBA) account belonging to a project accountant within the ministry.
Moreover, a company owned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, reportedly received N438 million for a contract that could not be verified.
Edu, presently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Tunji-Ojo, under scrutiny by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), face serious allegations.
Despite this, certain influential figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are reportedly urging the President to show leniency towards Edu.
They argue that Edu’s past role as the National Woman Leader of the APC, where she played a pivotal part in rallying support for Tinubu during the previous election cycle, warrants consideration.
They reminded Tinubu that Edu’s ministerial appointment was a recognition of her contributions to the APC’s victory in the last presidential election.
However, these appeals come with an awareness of the damaging impact of the Edu scandal on the APC’s national reputation, as acknowledged by top party sources familiar with the reconciliation efforts.
The source, who preferred anonymity, said, “It was a difficult task trying to convince President Tinubu to give Edu a soft landing despite the fact that she payed a prominent role during the presidential campaign.
“Edu wept profusely when some of our leaders managed to prevail on the President to grant her audience a few days ago. But the president was not moved one bit.
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“President Tinubu did not mince words in telling her and the party leaders pleading on her behalf that she should forget about reinstatement. However, the President left everyone guessing regarding her ongoing investigation by the EFCC”.
According to another reliable source briefed by our correspondent, Edu has implicated one of the Tinubu’s key aides as her accomplice.
This aide has a longstanding political association with the Tinubu.
Tinubu was reportedly shocked by the disclosure of the aide’s significant role in Edu’s flagrant embezzlement of public funds and its implications for the administration’s anti-corruption stance.
A Presidency insider revealed that the President has discreetly relieved the top aide of his official duties and reassigned them to two other officials within the Presidency.
Multiple sources confirm that the President had placed the influential aide under surveillance just before his recent private trip to France.
It’s been reliably learned that Tinubu initially contemplated dismissing the implicated aide, but upon reflection, deemed it premature to oust such a prominent figure just seven months into his tenure.
“President Tinubu was scandalised by the involvement of his close associate in the huge financial scandal perpetrated by Betta Edu. He felt disappointed that one of those he trusted to drive his administration’s anti corruption campaign has turned out to join the corruption bandwagon so early in the life of the administration.
“I am not in a position to answer your question as to whether or not the President is going to fire him anytime soon because I cannot read his mind. That is strictly left to him since he alone has the prerogative to hire and fire”, one of the sources said.
Numerous corruption allegations have surfaced implicating high-ranking officials within the administration. Presently, Minister of Works Dave Umahi is embroiled in controversy, accused of authorizing a payment of N9 billion to a Microfinance bank for an undisclosed project, placing him at the center of scrutiny.
Similarly, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla faces accusations of accepting $170 million in bribes and facilitating the release of numerous vessels involved in illegal oil bunkering and theft.
Despite efforts by both the Works Ministry and the Naval Chief to defend themselves and their respective institutions, the allegations persistently gather momentum in public discourse.
