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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the alleged looting of N44 billion National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) fund, including the N585.2 million, allegedly, diverted by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, to a private account, were only a small part of the corruption in the current government.
The PDP demanded the immediate sack and prosecution of Edu over the alleged looting of N44 billion NSIPA fund, and the N585.2 million said to have been diverted by her to a private account.
In a statement by National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, the party said the exposed fraud in the ministry was just a tip of the iceberg regarding the unprecedented treasury looting, unbridled stealing and plundering of resources going on in the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, which had brought Nigeria’s economy to its knees.
Ologunagba stated, “Is it not tragic and heart-breaking that a minister entrusted with public funds to support millions of poor Nigerians, who have been impoverished by the APC, turned around to divert hundreds of millions of naira meant for the wellbeing of the poor?
“The continuing stay of Betta Edu as minister is, therefore, provocative and amounts to stealing from a people and daring them to do their worst. It further confirms our party’s position that the Tinubu-led APC government is a cesspit of corruption; a haven for thieves and treasury looters.”
Ologunagba said Nigerians were shocked by reports of how Edu and the suspended National Coordinator of NSIPA, Halima Shehu, allegedly engaged in brazen looting of billions of Naira, while Nigerians, who the funds were meant for, were deprived and abandoned to excruciating hardship and misery.
The PDP spokesman stated, “Equally disheartening is the reports of how Betta Edu allegedly directed the transfer of the N585.2 million NSIPA money into the private account of one of her fronts in clear violation of Chapter 7, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009, which expressly prohibits the payment of public money into a private account.
“For emphasis, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009 provides that ‘Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with a fraudulent intention’.
“The apparent fraudulent intention by Betta Edu in diverting public funds into a private account; an action, which was appropriately declared illegal by the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, is consistent with APC’s character and proclivity for plundering of public resources.”
Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
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