President Bola Tinubu took action on Monday by suspending the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu, amidst public outcry over an alleged N585 million scandal.
The suspension was announced by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, emphasizing Tinubu’s commitment to upholding integrity, transparency, and accountability in managing the nation’s resources.
Following Tinubu’s directive on Sunday for a thorough investigation into the N585 million scandal within the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, he pledged to decisively deal with any individuals found guilty of misconduct during the inquiry.
Various groups, including the Peoples Democratic Party, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Femi Falana, SAN, the Yoruba Youth Assembly, and civil society organizations, urged an unrestricted investigation into the leaked memo by Minister Betta Edu, instructing the Accountant-General of the Federation to transfer the funds into a private account.
In response, Minister Edu defended the payment, asserting that it was intended for vulnerable groups in certain states and insisting that the allegations against her were unfounded.
Her Media Assistant, Rasheed Olarenwaju, stated that such payments into private accounts were within the bounds of civil service norms, particularly for project accountants.
Further details are anticipated to emerge in due course.
