By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
A foremost pressure group, “Niger Delta Media Activists” Group has exonerated the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Allegation, Dr. Betta Edu of any involvement in the reported allegation of diverted N585,198,500 funds of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The group position was contained in an official statement signed and released over the weekend in Yenagoa by the National Coordinator of the group, Chief Izzi Yakiah.
The group appealed to Nigerians to wait on the outcome of the ongoing investigation by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The statement further cautioned some Nigerian public analysts and certain the media to respect the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to thoroughly investigate the reportedly allegation by the EFCC.
Chief Yakiah also accused some top politicians who are unhappy with Dr. Betta Edu appointment as Minister of influencing numbers of media attacks, unregistered ethnic groups and non governmental organizations to subject an issue that has to do with procurement act to personal interpretation all in a bid to tarnish the image of Dr. Betta Edu, who has demonstrated commitment for vulnerable Nigerians to benefit directly from the Federal Governments social investment grants
The Niger Delta Group wondered why a resourceful person like Dr. Betta Edu, who grew through the cadres to serve as Commissioner for Health, Cross River State and later rose to be the National women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) without any records of corruption will suddenly be linked to an already ongoing investigation of allegedly diverted billions of naira during the past administration .
The pressure group said the Former Vice Chairman of Health Commissioners of Nigeria according to reports has presented all evidence and necessary documents of payments and official transactions before the anti graft agency, since she assumed office as Minister August, 2023.
The release added that the hardworking Dr. Betta Edu is being blackmailed for her resolve to reorganized the social investment programme for improve service delivery while observing reservations on how the programmes were managed in the past.
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