The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Sunday, demanded the immediate sack and prosecution of the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, over alleged diversion of N585.2 million to a private account.
Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the Party, who made the Party’s position public in Abuja, said the alleged fraud, which had just been exposed in the Ministry, was just a tip of the iceberg of the mismanagement by the present administration which, according to him, has brough 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 continuing stay of Betta Edu as minister is, therefore, provocative and amounts to stealing from a people and daring them to do their worst. It further confirms our party’s position that the Tinubu-led APC government is a cesspit of corruption; a haven for thieves and treasury looters.
“Nigerians were shocked by reports of how Betta Edu and the suspended National Coordinator of NSIPA, Halima Shehu allegedly engaged in brazen looting of billions of Naira while Nigerians who the funds are meant for are deprived and abandoned to excruciating hardship and misery.
“Equally disheartening is the reports of how Betta Edu allegedly directed the transfer of the N585.2 million NSIPA money into the private account of one of her fronts in clear violation of Chapter 7, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009 which expressly prohibits the payment of public money into a private account.
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“For emphasis, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009 provides that “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account.
“An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with a fraudulent intention.
“The apparent fraudulent intention by Betta Edu in diverting public funds into a private account; an action which was appropriately declared illegal by the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, is consistent with APC’s character and proclivity for plundering of public resources.
“The lack of remorse by the minister especially in her lame attempt to justify the illegal diversion of funds meant for poor Nigerians is also consistent with the insensitivity, heartlessness, impunity and criminal audacity inherent in the APC administration,” he said.
“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 spokesman added.
