NIGERIA: Presidency Confirms Betta Edu’s Permanent Removal from Cabinet Amid ₦585 Million Scandal

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Presidency has confirmed that former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu, will not return to President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, marking a definitive end to months of speculation surrounding her position.

 Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced the decision during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday.

Edu was suspended by President Tinubu in January following public outcry over an alleged ₦585 million fraud scandal within her ministry. 

The president subsequently ordered a full investigation into the allegations, vowing to hold anyone involved in corruption accountable. 

According to Onanuga, the inquiry into Edu’s ministry concluded with no possibility of her reinstatement.

Onanuga confirmed that Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, a former governorship candidate from Plateau State, has permanently taken over Edu’s role as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. “There is no place for her in the cabinet,” Onanuga stated, adding that the administration has filled Edu’s position with Yilwatda, and the chapter on her tenure is now closed.

When asked if findings from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) influenced the president’s decision, Onanuga hinted that the EFCC might have submitted evidence supporting the move. 

He noted, “The EFCC has not shared whatever they have, but if you consider the president’s action, it suggests that the EFCC may have submitted something that justified the president’s decision.” 

This statement confirms the administration’s stance on accountability as Tinubu’s cabinet moves forward under new leadership in Edu’s former ministry.