President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been threatened with legal action by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) if he does not look into the claims made by Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu that she paid N585,189,500.00 into a private account.
The Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, revealed this in a statement on Sunday.
Metrowatchxtra.com had reported that Betta Edu admitted depositing N585,189,500.00 into a private account intended for disadvantaged individuals in the states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos, and Ogun.
However, Edu insisted that the payment followed due process.
Meanwhile, SERAP said that the minister’s action was against Chapter 7, Section 713 of the Federal Government’s Financial Regulations 2009, which notes, ‘Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account’.
Accordingly, SERAP urged Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly and thoroughly conduct a probe.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest”.
