Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has commended President Bola Tinubu for suspending the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
Atiku, however, accused the President of putting politics before competence in appointing Edu minister.
In a statement by his Special Assistant, Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Tinubu shouldn’t have appointed Edu as minister of such a sensitive ministry.
Tinubu had suspended Edu following allegations of financial appropriations.
She was accused of directing the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585 million to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the Ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
Following the revelation, the minister was suspended and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, ordered to probe her.
Reacting to the development, the statement by Atiku’s aide, Shaibu, said:
“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.
“What experience did Betta have in the development sector? How was Imaan Ibrahim, with her wealth of experience, overlooked? How did the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, stand as Betta Edu’s referee during her clearance at the Senate?
“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.”
