The Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo Youth Wing on Sunday urged Nigerians to give the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu the benefit of the doubt until investigations into her involvement in the N583 million alleged malfeasance are concluded.
Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo Youth Wing president, Mr Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu while briefing journalists in Abuja on Sunday further called for a stoppage of the media trial of the minister.
“As the National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo Youth Wing, I wish to state that there is too much of media trial around Edu, which those who wanted her out of favour with the federal government are spinning to her disadvantage.”
“Media trial is unfair. An allegation has been levelled against her. President Bola Tinubu has suspended her to allow for transparent and unimpeded investigation.
“The best thing to do in the circumstance is to allow the process of investigation to conclude instead of bludgeoning her as if she had been found to be complicit,” Okpalaezeukwu said.
He urged Tinubu to review her suspension and allow her to continue as a member of his cabinet if it is confirmed in the long run that Edu had committed some administrative infractions and not necessarily monetary diversion.
“Betta Edu was entrusted with a ministry as huge as the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Poverty Alleviation and everyone can attest to the fact that she remains one of the best in the Tinubu led government, she may have erred in her modus operandi, but we can certainly say that she has not stolen a kobo.
“We must not throw away the baby with the bathwater. Let’s not allow those Betta exposed their corrupt practices succeed in pushing away a performing minister,” he added.
Juliet Akoje
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