N585m scandal: Suspended minister Edu denied access to see Tinubu

Indications emerged on Monday that the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu was not allowed to see President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The minister had arrived at the presidential villa in Abuja shortly after her suspension was announced, perhaps with the intention of having a physical discussion with the president.

 

While she was able to clear all security checks up to the president’s office, she was blocked from seeing him in his office.

It was also learnt that, apart from being unable to have an audience with President Tinubu, her access tag to the villa was immediately withdrawn from her by the president’s security.

 

Besides that, she was also ferried out of the president’s office in a Toyota Hilux truck belonging to State House security.

 

It was not immediately clear whether she was later allowed to use her official vehicle out of the presidential villa premises.

 

President Tinubu had ordered the suspension of the minister following controversies about financial transactions she authorised in her ministry.

 

She was accused of financial infractions bordering on the approval of payments of about N585 million into the private accounts of civil servants, who are said to be the accountants in charge of grants for vulnerable Nigerians.