The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded that President Bola Tinubu sack Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Betta Edu right now and bring charges against her for allegedly laundering money.
According to Metrowatchxtra.com, Edu faced harsh criticism last week following the revelation of a memo in which she instructed Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant-General of the Federation, to move N585 million to a private account held by Oniyelu Bridget. The ministry claimed that Bridget is currently the project accountant for grants for vulnerable groups.
A leaked memo dated December 20, 2023, contains the payment instructions.
In response, the PDP said in a statement released on Sunday by Debo Ologunagba, its National Publicity Secretary, that it was tragic and heartbreaking that a minister who had been given public funds to help millions of Nigerians in need had instead allegedly diverted hundreds of millions of naira intended for the poor’s well-being.
“The continuing stay of Betta Edu as Minister is therefore provocative and amounts to stealing from a people and daring them to do their worst. It further confirms our Party’s position that the Tinubu-led APC government is a cesspit of corruption,” Ologunagba stated.
The opposition party expressed shock that Edu and the suspended National Coordinator of NSIPA, Halima Shehu allegedly engaged in the looting of billions of Naira while Nigerians whom the funds are meant for are deprived and abandoned to excruciating hardship.
The statement read in part “Equally disheartening is the reports of how Betta Edu allegedly directed the transfer of the N585.2 million NSIPA money into the private account of one of her fronts in clear violation of Chapter 7, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009 which expressly prohibits the payment of public money into a private account.
“For emphasis, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009 provides that Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with a fraudulent intention.
“The apparent fraudulent intention by Betta Edu in diverting public funds into a private account; an action which was appropriately declared illegal by the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, is consistent with APC’s character and proclivity for plundering of public resources.
“The lack of remorse by the Minister especially in her lame attempt to justify the illegal diversion of funds meant for poor Nigerians is also consistent with the insensitivity, heartlessness, impunity, and criminal audacity inherent in the APC administration”.
The opposition party charged “President Tinubu to demonstrate commitment to the fight against corruption by immediately sacking Betta Edu, hand her over for investigation, prosecution and take steps to recover the stolen N44 billion and channel the fund recovered towards the wellbeing of Nigerians”.
