ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has been advised by a civil society organisation, Movement for the Advancement of National Transformation (MANTRA), “not to succumb to procured pressures to reinstate the suspended Minister” of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Betta Edu.
Giving the advice in Abuja on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, in a statement signed and made available to the media by Jude Ndukwe, Convener of MANTRA, the group asked Tinubu to be mindful of the “eternal crisis of credibility” the reinstatement of the suspended minister would cause his administration and urged him not to fall for the antics of those who want his administration to be locked in perpetual explanation of such a controversial reinstatement in the unlikely event that it happens.
“We are aware that the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Betta Edu is doing everything to be reinstated. While we acknowledge her right to seek reinstatement, we urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to succumb to these pressures from within and without to reinstate the suspended Minister,” the statement read in part.
“Such a reinstatement will brew an eternal crisis of credibility for President Tinubu as most Nigerians will always be quick to point at it as a sour point in his administration no matter how good he does in other areas.
“By condescending so low as to allegedly making request for refunds for flight tickets and airport taxis for a trip to Kogi State that is only about two hours from Abuja, and has no airport, Betta Edu has shown that she is too petty to be trusted with the arduous but noble responsibilities of a minister of the Federal Republic.
“Is anyone then surprised that huge sums from the funds approved by the Presidency for the verification of the national social register ended up in private pockets?
“She is definitely a fly in the ointment of Tinubu’s Presidency and the mistake of reinstating her must be avoided at all cost.”
