- Suspended Minister loses ‘Pass’ over N585m Scandal
The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has been told to temporarily stay away from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja following her alleged involvement in the N585 million scandal rocking the Ministry.
Effectively, the ‘Pass’ that enables top government officials to gain free access to the State House Villa and meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been withdrawn from her with immediate effect.
A reliable source in the Presidency said on Monday that following the presidential directives on Sunday for the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate her, “The pass given to the suspended Minister to easily access the Villa has been retrieved by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA)”.
According to the source; “With this latest development, Betta Edu can no longer access the Villa until further notice.”
Meanwhile, a viral video posted on social media showed the embattled Minister, who had earlier arrived in a black SUV, being escorted out of the Presidential Villa in what seems a pick-up vehicle after being denied access to Mr President.
Despite claims in a statement posted on her Facebook page on Saturday that the allegations against her were baseless, the Presidency maintained on Monday that Edu’s suspension was in line with the current administration’s avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of Nigerians’ commonwealth.
Though invited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s headquarters for questioning in connection with the scandal, Edu was yet to show an appearance before the anti-graft agency as of the close of work late Monday evening.
Triggering off the outcry that ultimately got her suspended from office is a viral document she signed and addressed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) requesting that N585,189,500.00 be paid into one Bridget Mojisola Oniyelu’s personal account to be disbursed as grants for vulnerable groups in four states of Kogi, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Lagos.
Consequently, the President, in response to days of growing outrage over a messy arrangement suspended the 37-year-old Minister from office as a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) with immediate effect.
In ordering the EFCC’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, “to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions” involving the ministry and “one or more agencies thereunder”, the President directed Edu to hand over to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, and “fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation”.
