Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last general election has called for a thorough investigation into the widescale corruption in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in the wake of recent occurrences involving both present and past ministers.
Obi, in a series of posts on his X handle, said most Nigerians are concerned about accountability in government and judicious use of public funds. Though he welcomed the suspension of the minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu, by President Bola Tinubu, he, however, called for a comprehensive investigation “so that all those culpable are brought to book.”
He said, “The suspension of the Minister should not be a window-dressing action but should be a peg to get at all those who are deserving of blame and punished just like the Minister.”
Details of the post on X by Peter Obi: The Betta Edu and Related Cases I would like to add my voice to most Nigerians concerned about accountability in government and judicious use of public funds.
I welcome the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, and subsequent directives for her investigation. While the action of the government is a welcome development, the investigation must be comprehensive so that all those culpable are brought to justice. The suspension of the Minister should not be a window-dressing action but should be a peg to get at all those who are deserving of blame and punished just like the Minister.
By a sad coincidence, the alleged fraudulent diversion of N585 million of public money by Edu broke almost at the same moment that the Minister who held the same portfolio in the last administration is being investigated for a whopping N37 billion in misappropriation. The Ministry may have been created by the system as a conduit pipe to siphon public funds while using the poor as a face.
Equally worrisome and disgusting is the fact that the missing funds are meant for poverty alleviation in a time of severe suffering among the people. Unfortunately, a ruling elite that can shamelessly convert, divert, or misappropriate such huge sums meant for the poor cannot be trusted to address the severe poverty ravaging the people.
It is not only immoral but also insensitive for those entrusted with funds for public welfare to literally steal from the poor.
I call on the administration to use these cases to initiate a thorough system-wide and systematic investigation of all reported cases of fraud and corruption among high government officials in the country. I join all Nigerians in calling on the government to accord the problem of public sector corruption the severe urgency it deserves.
