Tinubu suspends Betta Edu, asks EFCC to probe financial transactions in her ministry

President Bola Tinubu has suspended Betta Edu as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation. 

Edu has been under fire after a memo surfaced wherein she asked Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the federation, to transfer the sum of N585 million to a private account.

Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s spokesperson, said Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction” involving Edu’s ministry.

The suspension is with immediate effect, the statement added.

“In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect,” the statement reads.

“The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

“The suspended Minister is hereby directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes.

“These directives of the President take immediate effect.”

The instruction for the payment of N585 million to a private account was contained in a leaked letter dated December 20, 2023.

In the letter signed by the minister and titled: “Mandate for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States Respectively”, Edu instructed the accountant-general to transfer the aforementioned sum to the UBA account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

The minister had said the payment instruction followed due process, even though the accountant-general of the federation said she did not carry out the minister’s request because no bulk money “is supposed to be made to an individual’s account in the name of Project Accountant”.

Edu had also approved the payment of flight fare for staff to Kogi, even though the north-central state has no airport to its name.