President Bola Tinubu removed Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, on Monday in response to popular outrage over an alleged N585 million fraud.
Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, stated this in a statement made available to the media.
The statement reads:
“In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.”
Tinubu on Sunday ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged N585 million fraud at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
He also promised to “decisively punish” individuals engaged in any breaches and transgressions discovered throughout the probes.
Several groups and individuals, including the Peoples Democratic Party, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Femi Falana, SAN; the Yoruba Youth Assembly, and other civil society groups demanded an unfettered probe of the leaked memo by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, instructing the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, to pay N585m into the private bank account of a project accountant in her minis
The minister had maintained that the N585 million payment was intended for disadvantaged people in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, calling the charges against her false.
Rasheed Olarenwaju, the Minister’s Media Assistant, stated in a statement that such transfers to private accounts of public servants, particularly project accountants, were permissible.
cc: Punch Ng
