Ohanaeze youths: Betta Edu deserves fair hearing — media trial is unfair

The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo sociocultural association, has cautioned Nigerians against the media trial of Betta Edu, the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation.

On January 8, President Bola Tinubu suspended Edu as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation after a memo surfaced wherein she asked Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the federation, to transfer N585 million to a private account.

The president also directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction” involving Edu’s ministry.

Speaking during a press conference on Sunday, Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, leader of the association, commended Tinubu for setting up a panel to investigate the case rather than “sacking her outrightly”.

Okpalaezeukwu said the suspended minister should be given the benefit of the doubt until proven guilty.

“We also thank him for setting up a presidential panel to investigate the veracity of the allegations instead of sacking her outright,” the Ohanaeze youth leader said.

“Consequently, we hereby wish to rally support for the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Dr Edu, by calling on Nigerians to allow her a fair hearing and let the ongoing investigation run its course without media trial.

“Nigerians should give her the benefit of the doubt until the series of investigations into her involvement in the alleged N583m financial wrongdoing have proved her to be complicit.

“Judging by the actions of some persons in the media, it is obvious that there is too much media trial around Dr Edu and those who wanted her out of favour with the Federal Government are sustaining the spins to her disadvantage.

“Media trial is unfair. An allegation has been levelled against her, and President Bola Tinubu, in his wisdom, had suspended her to allow for a transparent and unimpeded investigation. The best thing to do in the circumstance is to allow the process of investigation to conclude instead of crucifying her as if she had been found to be guilty.

“There is the need to find what the problem really was about the memo she put up to the Accountant General of the Federation, although, the Accountant General had said that she did not honour the payment.”

Okpalaezeukwu said if after the investigation, Edu is vindicated, the president would be urged to reconsider her appointment to continue as a minister.

“We are of the view that Nigerians should hold their peace during the pendency of the series of investigations, which we believe would either prove or disprove wrongdoing,” he added.

“If it is confirmed in the long run that she had committed some administrative infractions and not necessarily monetary diversion, we shall very well urge President Bola Tinubu to review her suspension and allow her to continue as a member of his cabinet.

“Betta was entrusted with a ministry as huge as humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and everyone can attest to the fact that she remains one of the best in the Tinubu-led Government, We must be careful not to throw away the baby with the bathwater.”