Presidency Supports Betta Edu’s Suspension, say Tinubu won’t Tolerate Fraudulent Acts 

The administration has insisted that it was proper for President Bola Tinubu to suspend Betta Edu, the troubled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

On Monday, January 8, 2024, Edu was suspended for purportedly authorizing the transfer of ₦585 million into a personal account.

Due to allegations of financial wrongdoing in their ministry, President Tinubu recently removed Edu and Halima Shehu, the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

According to The Nation, Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Advisor on Information and Strategy, commented on the issue and stated that it was improper for any public servant to make payments to a private account.

Onanuga said the president suspended Edu and Shehu because he won’t tolerate fraudulent acts from anyone.

“The President 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,” he said.

Onanuga stated that he was unable to explain why the paper that was leaked and revealed the accusation against Edu had her signature on it. He claimed that a Permanent Secretary or Director of Finance and Administration should always raise a memo for payment.

The Presidential aide said, “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,”

But he pleaded with Nigerians to wait to pass judgment on the embattled minister and other parties associated with the purported scam until the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had finished its probe.