In a recent statement, Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president, shared his opinions on Minister Betta Edu’s suspension through his special assistant, Phrank Shaibu. He questioned her qualifications and said Bola Tinubu prioritises politics over ability.
Atiku bemoaned the fact that successive All Progressives Congress governments had allegedly taken advantage of a plan meant to lessen the acute poverty of over 100 million Nigerians for their own personal gain.
He stated, “While Tinubu deserves commendation for suspending Edu, we believe this is a belated move. First, he had no business appointing her as a minister of such a sensitive ministry in the first place. Tinubu put politics ahead of competence, hence this scandal.”
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He questioned Betta Edu’s qualifications in the development field and pondered why the highly experienced Imaan Ibrahim was not included. He also expressed disapproval of Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s chief of staff, for supporting Betta Edu during her Senate confirmation.
Atiku called for a comprehensive reform of the ministry, alleging that Betta Edu was not the only one involved in these transactions. He said, “Betta Edu should not be the fall guy. Others who have remotely and wickedly benefitted from money that was meant for poor Nigerians ought to be fished out, probed, and prosecuted too. It is demonic and tendentiously wicked to steal in the name of the poor.”
He highlighted the necessity for the government to restructure the ministry of humanitarian affairs and other interventionist initiatives, arguing that they had turned into a covert means of obtaining money for individuals in positions of authority.
Atiku emphasised that the current investigation into the purported N37 billion scam involving the former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, highlights the critical need for reform within the ministry.
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The statement further added, “Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, Farouq continued to implement the school feeding programme. She ridiculously claimed that the food would be delivered to the students at home since schools were shut.”
He also disputed Betta Edu’s assertion that more than three million households got N20,000 apiece during the Yuletide, saying there was insufficient data to back up this assertion. “This demonstrates that money has just been going into private pockets,” he remarked.
Atiku emphasised that systemic corruption, which allows the APC to continue draining the national coffers while paradoxically smothering the poor and vulnerable in the country under the pretence of providing for them, is the real issue at hand—not Betta Edu or any other individual.
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