Atiku's aide wants Tinubu to fish out Edu's accomplices in ₦585m scandal

Edu, just like her predecessor Sadiya Umar-Farouq, is currently under probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for directing the payment of ₦585.189 million meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states into a private account.

It all began with a leaked memo showing how she allegedly disbursed the public fund into the account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, leading to her suspension by the President.

In a statement on Tuesday, January 9, 2023, shaibu said the suspension of the embattled minister caught in a disbursement scandal was condemnable but not enough.

He said it is unfortunate that a programme designed to lift over 100 million Nigerians out of extreme poverty had become a cash cow for successive governments under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“While Tinubu deserves commendation for suspending Edu, we believe this is a belated move. Firstly, he had no business appointing her as a minister of such a sensitive ministry in the first place. Tinubu put politics ahead of competence, hence this scandal. What experience did Betta have in the development sector?" he said.

“Betta Edu should not be the fall guy. Others who have remotely and wickedly benefitted from money that was meant for poor Nigerians ought to be fished out, probed, and prosecuted too. It is demonic and tendentiously wicked to steal in the name of the poor.”

The aide of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate canvassed for the total reformation of the humanitarian affairs ministry and other interventionist programmes.

According to him, the fact that Umar-Farouq was also under probe for alleged ₦37bn fraud showed that immediate and urgent actions need to be taken to reform the ministry.

Recall the EFCC has seized travel documents belonging to the suspended minister and her predecessor as the agency continued to probe the allegations of fraud against the duo.