N585m Fraud : ‘Her Stay In Office Provocative’ — PDP Demands Immediate Sack Of Betta Edu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to sack Betta Edu, minister of humanitarian affairs.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, said the minister’s stay in office despite corruption allegations against her is “provocative”.

Edu has been under intense criticism after a memo surfaced wherein she asked Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the federation, to transfer the sum of N585 million to a private account.

The minister also approved funds for flight tickets and airport taxis for the ministry’s staff to Kogi, a state with no airport.

Amid the controversy, Nigerians have called for a probe of the minister and her ministry.

The PDP asked the president to “immediately” fire the minister and hand her over to security agencies for prosecution.

The opposition party said the alleged “exposed fraud” in the ministry is just a tip of the iceberg of the “unprecedented corruption in government which has practically brought the nation’s economy to its knees”.

“Is it not tragic and heartbreaking that a minister entrusted with public funds to support millions of poor Nigerians who have been impoverished by the APC, turned around to divert hundreds of millions of naira meant for the wellbeing of the poor?” the statement reads.

“The continuing stay of Betta Edu as minister is, therefore, provocative.

“The lack of remorse by the minister especially in her lame attempt to justify the illegal diversion of funds meant for poor Nigerians is insensitivity, heartlessness, impunity and criminal audacity.

“What Nigerians demand of President Tinubu at the moment is to demonstrate commitment to the fight against corruption by immediately sacking Betta Edu, hand her over for investigation, prosecution.”

The party also asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invite Edu for questioning and take further steps to commence a “system-wide investigation into the alleged large-scale corruption” under the All Progressives Congress (APC).