Dr. Betta Edu
Niger Delta Media Activists Group has charged Nigerians not to be in a haste to crucify the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Allegation Dr. Betta Edu.
Rather the group in a statement on Thursday, January 11 signed by its National Coordinator, Chief Izzi Yakiah in Yenegoa, Bayelsa state, appealed to Nigerians to wait on the outcome of the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the matter.
The group absolved Edu of any involvement in the reported allegation of diverted N585,198,500 funds of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The Statement further cautioned some Nigerian public analysts and certain section of the the media to respect the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to thoroughly investigate the said allegation by the EFCC.
Chief Yakiah accused some top politicians who are unhappy with Dr. Betta Edu appointment as Minister of “influencing numbers of media attacks, unregistered ethnic groups and non governmental organizations to subject an issue that has to do with procurement act to personal interpretation all in a bid to tarnish the image of Dr. Betta Edu who has demonstrated commitment for vulnerable Nigerians to benefit directly from the Federal Governments social investment grants” .
The Niger Delta Group wondered why a resourceful person like Dr. Betta Edu who grew through the cadres to serve as Commissioner for Health, Cross River State and later rose to be the National women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) without any records of corruption will suddenly be linked to an already ongoing investigation of allegedly diverted billions of naira during the past administration.
The Pressure Group said, the former Vice Chairman of Health Commissioners of Nigeria according to reports has presented all evidence and necessary documents of payments and official transactions before the anti graft agency since she assumed office as Minister August, 2023, hence “we should exercise patient and wait for the outcome because it’s too early to condemn and vilify when investigation is ongoing” .
The release added that the hardworking Dr. Betta Edu is being blackmailed for her resolve to reorganize the social investment programme for an improved service delivery while observing reservations on how the programmes were managed in the past.
