Presidency explains Betta Edu’s suspension shows Tinubu’s departure from Buhari’s style
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu and National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) National Coordinator Halima Shehu were suspended to signal Bola Tinubu’s intolerance of fraudulent acts, the Presidency has explained.
Presidential Information and Strategy Adviser Bayo Onanuga said it is wrong for any individual to pay public funds into a private account aside from a contractor but stressed Edu should be given the benefit of the doubt until investigation is concluded.
Tinubu’s suspension of Shehu and Edu marks a departure from the style of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who always buried his head in the sand did nothing each time there was public outcry over his officials looting the treasury.
“The President [Tinubu] wants to make a difference and take full control. He has shown that his government won’t tolerate shenanigans and that is why he has suspended Shehu and Edu,” Onanuga explained on Channels Television.
Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of Edu’s Villa Access Card on Monday as she was waiting to see him and the statement was being prepared to formally announce her suspension over her memo directing that N585 million be released to a private account for disbursement to poor Nigerians in four states.
Edu appeared for interrogation on Tuesday at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which on Monday grilled her predecessor Sadiya Umar-Farouq over alleged laundering of N44 billion, with her interrogation continuing on Tuesday.
Umar-Farouq is accused of laundering N37 billion of the amount through a contractor, James Okwete. She denies the allegation.
However, the EFCC confirmed it has frozen N30 billion of the heist found in private bank accounts.
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Related articles:
Betta Edu reports to EFCC as Tinubu withdraws her Villa Access Card
Farouq can’t explain how N206b was ‘inserted’ into Humanitarian Ministry budget
Poverty fight coordinator Shehu arrested by EFCC
EFCC finds and freezes N30b NSIPA loot, gives Umar-Farouq 72 hours to show up
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How Edu skipped due process
Onanuga said it is the duty of a Permanent Secretary or Director of Finance and Administration to raise a memo for payment for a Minister to approve, and he could not understand why the leaked memo bears Edu’s signature, per The Nation.
His words: “It is not the business of any Minister to sign anything about money. You cannot pay government money into a private account.
“Everybody knows it is wrong. What I found strange is that the paper in circulation bore Edu’s signature.
“Those in government know that is not normal unless the private account is for your contractor and the account has to be approved before money can be paid into it.”
Onanuga, however, stressed it is not an indictment that her signature is on the document and all those involved should not be judged until the EFCC concludes its investigation.
“Don’t let’s jump into conclusions on who is a saint [or] sinner. Let’s keep our fingers crossed until the EFCC finishes its investigation and then gives findings.
“Let’s give everyone involved the benefit of the doubt before we rush to judgment. Let’s wait for the EFCC.”