A coalition of ten (10) rights organizations under the aegis of Civil Society Groups Against Defamation Initiative( CSGADI) has urged Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promptly reinstate Dr. Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, should the ongoing investigations exonerate her from any wrongdoing.
The call came amid the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) thorough inquiry into suspicious financial activities within the ministry and its sub-parastatals.
The investigation centres primarily on fund transactions that occurred before Dr. Betta Edu’s tenure began, raising concerns over narratives linking her to the alleged corruption.
The Chairman of the Niger-Delta Peace Initiative, Peter Asuquo Bassey, speaking on behalf of the coalition during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, asserted that the ministry’s questionable transactions should not be conflated with Dr. Edu’s administration.
He noted that such misrepresentation was not only unfair but also served to unjustly tarnish her image; stressing that Dr. Edu had, in fact, questioned the transfer of over N40 billion Naira, which had been approved before her arrival.
Moreover, the coalition clarified that Dr. Edu neither owns the private account implicated in the N585 million controversy nor is she a signatory to it.Bassey continued,
“It is also evident that she is not linked to the billions wrongly associated with her by some media outlets.
“As we await the full investigation report, we urge the public not to be misled by those intent on damaging Dr. Betta Edu’s well-established reputation.
“We trust that the President will handle this matter decisively, with focus and determination. He should not be influenced by a malicious smear campaign and the collusion of a group who want things to continue as usual.
We hope that only the guilty will face consequences, and if Dr. Edu is cleared, the President should not delay in reinstating her.”
