The presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified that the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Betta Edu, is not part of the president’s new cabinet and has officially been relieved of her ministerial assignment, News About Nigeria reports.
He disclosed this while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
He noted that with the recent cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Tinubu, Edu is nowhere to be found.
Onanuga also disclosed that the position of the former minister, who was suspended in January, has been taken over by Nentawe Yilwatda.
He said, ”Betta Edu is gone. She was suspended in January, and this is October. She is gone, officially. Her position has been taken over by the Plateau man.
“As far as this government is concerned, there is no more place for her in this cabinet.”
Recall that on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu appointed Plateau-born Nentawe Yilwatda, a lecturer with the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, as a replacement for Betta Edu.
The President has written the Senate to confirm the appointment of Yilwatda and six others.
Tinubu appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, about three months after he was inaugurated as Nigeria’s president, appointing Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State, Oil; and Ekperipe Ekpo as Minister of State, Gas; and retaining the senior petroleum minister role just like his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
Betta Edu, one of Tinubu’s 48 ministers, was suspended in January 2024, while another, Simon Lalong, resigned and joined the Senate.
Edu was suspended over her alleged involvement in the approval of N585,198,500.00 to be disbursed into a personal account.
The President had directed EFCC boss Ola Olukoyede, to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the ministry and one or more agencies thereunder.
