Two months after the suspension of Dr. Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, there are still clouds of uncertainty surrounding her fate.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Presidency have kept Nigerians guessing about the next steps, as reported by Daily Trust.
According to investigations, the EFCC conducted a thorough inquiry into the allegations against Dr. Betta Edu and submitted an interim report to the Presidency.
It is alleged that the EFCC recommended her prosecution based on their findings. However, there are claims that influential figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, are lobbying for a lenient approach towards Dr. Edu due to her contributions to the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Halima Shehu, the suspended coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), might have been cleared by the EFCC in its interim report.
Sources suggest that the expenditures under her tenure followed standard procedures and were allocated for their intended purposes.
However, the EFCC has not listed the suspended officials for prosecution, leaving their fate uncertain.
Dr. Betta Edu’s suspension stemmed from allegations of financial impropriety, including authorizing payments to a private account and approving expenses for a state without an airport.
In addition to the EFCC’s investigation, a presidential panel led by Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, was tasked with reforming the social investment programs.
The panel recommended transferring the programs from the humanitarian affairs ministry to the federal ministry of finance, under a new board led by Edun.
Edun recently hinted at plans to restart direct cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians, potentially expanding the program to reach 12 million households. Despite these developments, the government remains tight-lipped about the interim report’s submission and the future of the suspended officials.