Standard rights activist Femi Falana has challenged the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to apologise and stop for betraying the Federal Authorities and Nigerians.
Falana stated Edu’s response to the N585 million scandal was an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.
Leaked paperwork had uncovered Edu of directing the Workplace of the Accountant-Normal of the Federation to pay the sum of N585.18 million into a non-public account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget.
The ministry claimed Bridget presently serves because the Mission Accountant, Grants for Weak Teams in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun states.
However the Accountant-Normal of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, rejected Edu’s directive and refused to pay the stated sum of N585.18 million to the agent of the minister.
Responding, the minister claimed that the directive adopted due course of, including that it was a transfer to tarnish her picture.
Nevertheless, Falana described Edu’s response to the allegation as conceited.
A press release by Falana reads partly: “It’s public information that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betty Edu, lately directed the Workplace of the Accountant-Normal of the Federation to pay a whopping sum of N585.18 million to a non-public account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed presently serves because the Mission Accountant, Grants for Weak Teams in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun states.
“Fortunately, the Accountant-Normal of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, rightly rejected the unlawful directive and refused to pay the stated sum of N585.18 million to the agent of the minister.
“It’s fascinating to notice that the minister has not denied that she gave approval for the cost of the over half a billion Naira to a non-public account in contravention of the extant Public Service Guidelines in addition to the Unbiased Corrupt Practices and Different Offences Act and the Penal Code relevant within the Federal Capital Territory.
“As a substitute of apologising to the federal authorities and other people of Nigeria and calling it quits for betraying the boldness reposed in her, the minister has arrogantly stated the N585.18 million fraud allegation is a mere fabrication by her detractors and an alleged try by mischief makers to undermine her ministry’s effort in preventing corruption and uplifting the needy.
“Nevertheless, however that the Accountant-Normal of the Federation has efficiently pissed off the legal diversion of the stated sum of N585.18 million from public treasury, it’s crystal clear from the leaked memorandum of the minister that the offence of an try to commit a felony has already been accomplished.
“There could be no authorized justification for the legal diversion of the stated sum of N585.18 million for disbursement to weak folks in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun states for the reason that Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has collated the person financial institution accounts of all of the weak folks.”