With the appointment of the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Nentawe Yilwatda, in October, the Federal Government belatedly removed Betta Edu from office. The former minister had been suspended and under investigation since January. The long delay before her removal, which happened in the context of a cabinet reshuffle that caused the exit of some others, had encouraged public speculation that she might eventually continue in office.
At some point, the situation was indeed confusing as the then suspended Edu was reported to have sent a condolence message, using the ministry’s letterhead, to the victims of the July school building collapse in Jos, Plateau State. She said: “Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time.” Against the backdrop of her suspension, it was strange and inexplicable. It was unclear in what capacity she sent the message, and why she had used the ministry’s letterhead.
Following Yilwatda’s appointment, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga clarified Edu’s status, saying in a television interview, “She is gone. Her position has been taken over by someone else. For this government, there is no place for her in the cabinet.” He added that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “has not shared whatever they have, but if you consider the president’s action, it suggests that the EFCC may have submitted something that justified the president’s decision.”
President Bola Tinubu had suspended her “from office with immediate effect,” following corruption-related allegations against her. He also directed the chairman of the EFCC to “conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.”
Edu’s troubles followed a leaked memo, dated December 20, 2023 that she wrote to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), saying N585.2m earmarked for vulnerable citizens in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Lagos, and Ogun states be paid into the United Bank for Africa (UBA) account — 2003682151— of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, described as “the project accountant.”
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“These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope grant for Vulnerable Groups,” Edu said in the memo, adding that the payment should be made from the National Social Investment Office account.
The OAGF had rejected her memo, pointing out that it was illegal to pay such beneficiaries through the private account of a so-called project accountant. Indeed, the memo violated Section 713 (under Chapter Seven) of Nigeria’s Public Sector Financial Regulation Act (2009), which seeks to prevent fraud. It states: “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.” It adds: “Any officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.”
Notably, the EFCC, in April, said it had recovered N30bn in the probe of the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA) former CEO, Halima Shehu, and the then suspended minister, Edu. At the time, EFCC boss Ola Olukoyede also stated that the anti-graft agency was “investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into.” He explained: “There are cases that take years to investigate. There are so many angles to it. And we need to follow through with some of the discoveries that we have seen… Nigerians should give us time on this matter… There are so many leads here and there.”
Curiously, a law firm representing Edu had threatened to sue the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) regarding its report publicising the information released by the EFCC. It said she had “suffered immeasurable reputational damage, psychological trauma and anguish as a direct consequence of the publication and dissemination of the article,” and demanded “an immediate and unqualified retraction of the aforementioned article and a public apology to our client, for the false and defamatory content published.”
It is unclear if the EFCC had concluded its investigation before Edu’s removal, and whether the findings informed President Tinubu’s decision to replace her with Yilwatda. The situation remains puzzling.
Interestingly, on her 38th birthday on October 27, she posted a message on X, describing herself as “the woman Jesus loves.” She added: “Soon the world will see the glory of a great God! The lies told to destroy a daughter of Zion will lead to her elevation!”
Olukoyede inherited “no fewer than 25 high-profile corruption cases involving former governors, ministers and senators,” according to an investigative report published in October 2023. The cases involve “not less than N772.2bn and another $2.2bn, alleged to have gone missing through money laundering, fund diversion and misappropriation,” the report said. Some of the cases seem interminable. Edu’s case should not fall into that category.
There is no question that Nigeria needs to fight corruption and win the anti-corruption war. The people are tired of the monotonous song about fighting corruption. They want to see anti-corruption results.
The country also needs to fight poverty and win the anti-poverty war. During his screening by the Senate, Yilwatda proposed a poverty alleviation formula, noting that 65 percent of poor people live in the North, while 35 percent live in the South. He said: “We should focus on the specific needs of each local government and state, with revenue allocation based on the level of poverty or wealth in those areas.”
Figures of poverty levels in Nigeria are staggering. For instance, in 2023, the World Bank estimated that 46 percent of the country’s population, or 104 million people, were living in poverty. Nigeria’s population is estimated at about 234 million.
Nigeria’s poverty crisis calls into question the anti-poverty efforts of the Federal Government, and also raises questions about the seriousness of state and local governments in the fight against poverty. Poor governance provides enabling conditions for both monetary poverty and multidimensional poverty. All levels of government in the country should deal with the poverty problem using good governance.
Importantly, the minister responsible for poverty alleviation must not perform corruption-related acts that deepen poverty. Any public official involved in such acts should be prosecuted and punished. Removal from their position is not enough. This is why Edu’s matter is still unended.
