Minister’s Misappropriation Scandal: Misuse of Public Funds and Vote Buying

Dr. Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria, requested the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, to warehouse over N66 billion unspent in 2023 for the ministry. The letter, signed by Edu, stated that the National Social Investment Office (NSIPA) is facing challenges in disbursing and processing payments to beneficiaries, and as the year comes to an end by 31 December 2023, the total amount requested by Edu is N66,328,891,947.58 (N65,828,891,947.58 and N500,000,000.00).

On January 8, 2024, President Bola Tinubu suspended Betta Edu from office with immediate effect. He directed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder. Edu’s suspension followed reports of alleged misappropriation of funds against her as poverty alleviation minister.

Edu had asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Madein, to send public funds to a private account, which belonged to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister. The letter signed by the minister, Dr. Edu, approved the payment of the cumulative sum of N585,189,500.00 for programs and activities of the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups.

The funds were moved to Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo states through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in the states. However, documents obtained by SaharaReporters showed that the funds were mobilized days before the elections to buy votes under the cover of catering for vulnerable people there. A breakdown of the disbursement of the funds showed that N72,374,500 was moved to Kogi State on November 6, 2023, and N72,423,250 million to Bayelsa State under the ministry’s 2023 grant for vulnerable groups programmes.

On October 31, 2023, the Nigerian House of Representatives summoned Edu to brief the chamber on the status of the federal government’s conditional cash transfer programme to 15 million households. The lawmakers expressed concern over the handling of the program, citing a lack of transparency and alleged fraudulent practices.