A few hours after she was suspended by President Bola Tinubu over the N585 million scandal yesterday, embattled Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister, Dr Betta Edu, was not allowed to see the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Nigerian leader had earlier yesterday suspended Edu from office with immediate effect and directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the federal ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
She was accused of financial infractions bordering on the approval of payment of about N585 million into private accounts of a civil servant, who is said to be the accountant in charge of grants for vulnerable Nigerians in Akwa Ibom and other states.
The EFCC summoned Edu for interrogation and investigation in connection with the scandal today.
The suspension, according to the statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, is in line with President Tinubu’s avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians.
The statement read: “The suspended minister is, hereby, directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.
“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel, headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes, with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative.”
President Tinubu had earlier on Sunday, ordered a comprehensive probe into the alleged N585m scandal in the ministry and promised to “decisively punish” those involved in breaches and infractions unraveled during the investigations.
The minister has, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying the N585milliuon payment was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states and defended the action.
She said it was legal within the civil service for such payments to be made into private accounts of staff members, especially project accountants.
No access to Tinubu
Following her suspension, the minister had arrived at the presidential villa, Abuja, with the intention of having a physical discussion with the president.
While she was able to clear all security checks up to the president’s office, she was, however, blocked from seeing him in his office.
It was also learned that apart from being unable to have an audience with President Tinubu, her access tag to the villa was immediately withdrawn from her by the president’s security.
She and was ferried out of the president’s office in a Toyota Hilux truck belonging to State House security.
It was not immediately clear if she was later allowed to use her official vehicle out of the presidential villa premises.
EFCC yet to summon suspended minister
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency, EFCC, is yet to summon the suspended minister for questioning, Vanguard has learned.
The development is at variance with claims by some reports that the suspended minister had already landed at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja for interrogation.
A competent source told Vanguard that they were in the process of inviting Edu to the EFCC to answer questions on the alleged scam.
“We are in the process of inviting the suspended minister to answer questions on the cash. It is not true that she is already in our custody,” the EFCC source told Vanguard.
Vanguard also gathered that an invitation was being sent to her to report to the commission within the week.
A top source in the anti-graft agency confirmed to Vanguard that Dr. Edu would have her day with investigators as soon as possible in line with its determination to stamp out corruption from the public space.
The source said: “The Presidency has given a marching order to the commission to carry out a thorough investigation into the scam involving the suspended minister. I can assure you that there is going to be no form of interference in this EFCC in the conduct of its operations under this administration.
“Anywhere public funds and interest are involved, we will go to the bottom of the matter to fish out the culprits, no matter how connected and influential they may be, to protect public interest and prove to doubting Thomases that the era of looting public funds and getting away with it is over.
“We are not leaving any stone unturned in getting to the root of the scams that have been uncovered and Nigerians can count on us to see to the end of the cases through thorough, unimpeded probe.
“Anyone one who is caught in a corruption scandal will be thoroughly investigated and tried in accordance with our laws, no matter who is involved.’’
According to Vanguard, The spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for confirmation of the development at press time last night.
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