President Tinubu suspends Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation from office with immediate effect and went ahead to authorize a thorough investigation into the case by EFCC while advising the Minister to cooperate fully.
President Bola Tinubu has decided to suspend Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, from her position effective immediately, in keeping with her declared commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians.
This was made public by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity on Monday.
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The President additionally orders the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out an exhaustive examination of all facets of the financial dealings involving the Federal Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Humanitarian Affairs, along with one or more of its agencies.
The President also directs the suspended Minister to fully cooperate with the investigative authorities during their investigation. The suspended Minister is now commanded to turn herself over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
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In addition, the President has charged a panel led by the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy with performing, among other things, a thorough diagnostic of the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programs with the goal of definitively reforming the relevant institutions and programs in an effort to eradicate all institutional weaknesses solely for the benefit of low-income households and restore the public’s lost faith in the initiative.
About Dr. Betta Edu
Betta is a native of Cross River State’s Abi Local Government Area. She graduated from Federal Government Girls College in Calabar in 2001 after completing her secondary school there, and in 2009, she earned her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar.
She holds a Doctor of Public Health from Texila American University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and a Master’s degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from the same institution.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Past Scandals
Edu was charged with publishing fictitious ventilator photos in 2020. In response to allegations of professional misconduct related to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Nigerian Medical Association’s Cross River state chapter voted to remove Edu from office. The vote of no confidence, according to Edu, was political. In 2022, Edu faced accusations of procedural misconduct during her campaign to become the APC’s National Women Leader.
Adding to the above controversy portfolio, she has earned the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who suspended her from her role as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation on January 8, 2024, due to a scandal involving an alleged ₦585 million.
