Dr. Betta Edu, the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, was denied access to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, just hours after she was suspended by him due to the N585 million scandal yesterday.
The president of Nigeria had earlier yesterday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, to look into every facet of the financial transactions involving the federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and suspended Edu from office with immediate effect.
She was charged with financial offenses including approving the transfer of around N585 million into the personal accounts of a government employee, purportedly the accountant overseeing the distribution of help to economically disadvantaged Nigerians in Akwa Ibom and other states.
Edu was called in by the EFCC today for questioning and an inquiry related to the incident.
The suspension is consistent with President Tinubu's declared commitment to maintain the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the administration of the commonwealth of Nigerians, according to a statement released by Special Advisor to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
The statement said as follows: "The President further directs the suspended minister to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation. She is also directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation."
"Furthermore, in an effort to completely reform the relevant institutions and programs in an effort to eradicate all institutional weaknesses for the sole benefit of impoverished households and restore public trust in the initiative, the President has charged a panel led by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Minister of Finance with, among other things, conducting a thorough diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programs."
A thorough investigation into the purported N585 million scam in the ministry was earlier ordered by President Tinubu on Sunday. He also pledged to "decisively punish" those found to have violated the law and committed other infractions that came to light during the inquiry.
However, the minister has defended the conduct and denied any impropriety, claiming that the N585 million payment was intended for underprivileged populations in the states of Lagos, Ogun, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom.
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