…Wants President To Investigate N438m Oayment To Company Owned By Interior Minister
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has hailed the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu, over the allegation of N585m scandal rocking her ministry, pending the outcome of the investigation ordered by the president.
NANS in a statement by its President, Pedro Obi, copies made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Tuesday, said that the step by President Tinubu has clearly shown that he will leave no stone untouched and make no one a sacred cow in his fight against corruption.
The national student body, however, urged the president to equally turn his searchlight on the allegation that a company privately owned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, was paid a sum of N438m from the Humanitarian Ministry under the suspended Minister.
While calling on President Tinubu to order an extensive investigation into how every penny was spent under the supervision of Edu, NANS further urged the president to ensure that everyone found wanting in the alleged financial scandal is prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the land.
The Association commended the president for giving youths opportunities to serve in his administration, appealing to him not to get discouraged by the financial scandal allegedly perpetrated by some young appointees.
“We have been following with keen interests the revelation coming out from the financial misdoings at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
“We must state that we feel so embarrassed that the Ministry could be enmeshed in such a scandal which stains the anti-corruption resolve of this administration. In fact, we believe that the President has done well by ordering a thorough investigation into the financial dealings of the Ministry and the order of suspension slammed on the Minister. It shows that the president will leave no stone untouched or make anyone a sacred cow in his fight against corruption.
“However, the latest revelation which is all over the media that a company owned by the Minster of Interior got #438m from the Humanitarian Ministry under the suspended Minister leaves so much to ask. And, we call on the president to order an extensive investigation into how every penny was spent under the supervision of the suspended Mrs. Edu. And, it must not stop at that, the president must ensure that everyone found wanting is prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the land.
“We must commend the president for giving youths a platform to thrive in his administration by selecting them for appointments. However, we want to seize this opportunity to call on the president not to get discouraged because of the malfeasance of some young appointees.
“As an Association, we have always maintained that the problem with Nigeria is gender or age blind. And, this has been our belief which we hold so dear to us. The president must however not stop empowering the youth demography as far as governance is concerned”, the statement read.