APC women leaders reject Betta Edu over alleged abuse of office

The aggrieved members, who passed a ‘vote of no confidence’ on Edu, accused her of abusing her office and isolating them during the electioneering.

They stated these in a petition written to President Bola Tinubu on Friday, July 14, 2023, following the women leader's recent meeting with the President in Aso Rock Villa.

The petition, signed by nine women leaders from the six geopolitical zones, accused the former Cross River Commissioner of Health of sidelining them and arranging some alleged fake women to see the president during the courtesy visit.

The signees to the petition included APC Deputy National Treasurer, Omorede Osifo; National Ex-Officio (South-West), Olubunmi Oriniowo; National Ex-Officio (North-Central), Oluwatoyin Opawoye; Zonal Women Leader (North Central), Princess Zahra Audu; Zonal Women Leader (South-West), Yetunde Adesanya and Zonal Women Leader (South-East), Mimi Diyiokeh.

Others were the Zonal Women Leader (North East), Zainab Alman; Zonal Women Leader (South-South), Cynthia Princewill; Zonal Women Leader (North-West), Hajia Hadiza Shagari.

The members wrote, “Without deviating from the essence of this subject, it is pertinent we express our total displeasure and concern over the misrepresentation and self-aggrandisement of the National Woman leader, Dr. Beta Edu during her visit to the Presidential Villa on the 13th of July, 2023.

“We wish to state categorically and in strong terms that her visit to the Presidential Villa was a misrepresentation as she in no way represent the elected National Women Officials and Zonal Women Leaders of the party as against the news making the rounds.

“We were totally unaware of her presidential visit and no due information nor notification were given to us the women she claimed to represent during her visit. It is disheartening that Dr. Beta Edu could label her visit to Mr President to be the representation of National Stakeholders and Zonal Women leaders even without them knowing and not in attendance during the visit.

“It is worrisome that at this infancy stage of the administration of President Bola Tinubu which needs all hands to be on deck that the women leadership of the party is already experiencing division and seclusion in representation which has been the pattern of the National Woman Leader Beta Edu since her emergence. It is in strong terms that we reject her leadership because she has failed in managing the affairs of the women in the party.”

President Bola Tinubu receives in audience the APC Women Leaders in the 36 States and FCT, led by the APC National Woman Leader, Dr. Betta Edu. [Presidency] Pulse Nigeria

A copy of the petition was also sent to the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore; Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; office of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, all APC governor’s wives and zonal Vice-chairmen of the party.

APC women leaders demand audience with Tinubu

The petitioners also sought a separate audience with the President in the Villa, while further alleging that Edu deliberately shoved them aside even during the electioneering campaign.

They said, “Throughout the electioneering campaign, Dr. Betta Edu worked in isolation without synergy with her colleagues’ National Women officials of the party and the Zonal Women leaders. We individually devised means and strategies to galvanise and mobilise support for the party in our various states and traveled to almost all states campaigning with Mr. President with our personal funds and resources because we are highly committed to the Renewed Hope project and which we are glad to be part of the success story of today.

“We want Mr. President to know that most women paraded by Dr. Betta Edu were mostly fake. Authentic and democratically elected national officers who are even National Executive Council Members, all Zonal women leaders, the three women senators and fifteen female House of Representatives members, and a host of other relevant women leaders and stakeholders were replaced by fake women in the visit to the President.

“We hereby reject the leadership of Dr. Betta Edu and unanimously pass a vote of no confidence on her and whatever she represents. We appeal to Mr. President to use his good office to grant audience to the Elected National Female Executives and Zonal Women Leaders of our great party for inclusiveness,” the letter stated.

President Bola Tinubu receives in audience the APC Women Leaders in the 36 States and FCT, led by the APC National Woman Leader, Dr. Betta Edu. [Presidency] Pulse Nigeria

Betta Edu dismissed allegations

Reacting to allegations, the National Women Leader disowned the petitioners who she described as fake.

Speaking to The Punch, Edu said, “They are not women leaders. Those people are frauds. I can tell you that the 36 states’ women leaders have written to disown them.

“The meeting they were talking about took place between the president and the 36 states’ women leaders. All of them were present at the meeting, except one. I don’t think any media should carry this stupid news. It is fraud. You know people are hustling left, right, and center.”