The Peoples Democratic Occasion has charged President Bola Tinubu to instantly sack and prosecute the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu over the alleged cash laundering.
The PUNCH stories that Edu, got here beneath heavy criticism final week after a memo surfaced the place she directed the Accountant-Normal of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to switch N585 million to a personal account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed presently serves because the Challenge Accountant, Grants for Susceptible Teams.
The directions for the cost are contained in a leaked memo dated December 20, 2023.
Reacting, the PDP in an announcement by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, Sunday described it as tragic and heartbreaking {that a} minister entrusted with public funds to help hundreds of thousands of poor Nigerians rotated to allegedly divert a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of naira meant for the wellbeing of the poor.
“The persevering with keep of Betta Edu as Minister is subsequently provocative and quantities to stealing from a folks and daring them to do their worst. It additional confirms our Occasion’s place that the Tinubu-led APC authorities is a cesspit of corruption,” Ologunagba said.
The opposition occasion expressed shock that Edu and the suspended Nationwide Coordinator of NSIPA, Halima Shehu allegedly engaged within the looting of billions of Naira whereas Nigerians whom the funds are meant for are disadvantaged and deserted to excruciating hardship.
The assertion learn partially “Equally disheartening is the stories of how Betta Edu allegedly directed the switch of the N585.2 million NSIPA cash into the non-public account of one in all her fronts in clear violation of Chapter 7, Part 713 of Nigeria’s Monetary Rules, 2009 which expressly prohibits the cost of public cash into a personal account.
“For emphasis, Part 713 of Nigeria’s Monetary Rules, 2009 supplies that Private cash shall in no circumstances be paid right into a authorities checking account, nor shall any public cash be paid into a personal checking account. An officer who pays public cash into a personal account is deemed to have carried out so with a fraudulent intention.
“The obvious fraudulent intention by Betta Edu in diverting public funds into a personal account; an motion which was appropriately declared unlawful by the Accountant Normal of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, is in step with APC’s character and proclivity for plundering of public assets.
“The dearth of regret by the Minister particularly in her lame try and justify the unlawful diversion of funds meant for poor Nigerians can be in step with the insensitivity, heartlessness, impunity, and legal audacity inherent within the APC administration”.
The opposition occasion charged “Nigeria President to reveal dedication to the battle in opposition to corruption by instantly sacking Betta Edu, hand her over for investigation, prosecution and take steps to recuperate the stolen N44 billion and channel the fund recovered in direction of the wellbeing of Nigerians”.