ASO ROCK WATCH: Investigating Betta Edu’s N585m scandal. Two other talking points

Following the growing outrage that trailed a leaked memo which revealed that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer a whopping N585.2 million to a private account, President Bola Tinubu suspended Edu, and ordered a thorough investigation into the issue.

We tracked two other story from the Presidency for your reading delight.

1. Investigating Betta Edu’s N585m scandal

On January 7, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement disclosed that President Tinubu had ordered a thorough and comprehensive inquiry into Edu’s alleged misappropriation of N585.2 million, including the reported payment of N3.1million flight tickets, and airport taxis to Kogi State which has no airport.

“In light of recent events, the President has directed that a thorough and comprehensive investigation be conducted to ascertain the accuracy and validity of the reported details,” Idris’ statement read.

Tinubu’s swift directive to probe Edu, and suspend her may have helped to shore up the image of his administration as one intolerant of corruption, and ready to throw away perceived bad eggs capable of tarnishing the efforts of his administration’s anti-corruption campaign.

The President’s directive goes some mile to show his eagerness to instill accountability, and uprightness in the day-to-day dealings of his cabinet members, and by extension, perhaps persuade Nigerians that he has no sacred cow in the cabinet.

While Tinubu has been receiving commendations for Edu’s suspension, it is incumbent on him to work towards ensuring that the now former Minister’s case gets fair trial, and prosecuted, if found guilty.

Two other talking points

2. Tinubu’s move to reduce cost of governance

Tinubu, on January 9, directed a 60% reduction in the size of official entourages for foreign, and domestic trips.
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this when he briefed State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja, which attracts massive bills with respect to estacode and duty allowances from now on.”
“He has approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will cut across the entire Federal Government of Nigeria and the Offices of the President himself, the Vice President and the Office of the First Lady.”

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Tinibu’s move represents a practical step in the direction that the Nigerian citizenry has been pointing at for years. It portrays the President as one who is ready to walk the talk of his continuous preachments to Nigerians to endure.

Finding the courage to implement the abandoned Oronsaye report on comprehensive reduction of the cost of governance will, no doubt, heighten the prospects of instilling more discipline in the management of the country’s resources.

3. Winning the war against insecurity

Tinubu, on January 5, charged the nation’s security chiefs to fight to ensure that they win the different security threats in the country.

He gave the charge, while addressing security chiefs and heads of intelligence agencies during a presidential security briefing at the State House, in Abuja.

“We will sustain our momentum. Failure is not an option under my leadership,” the President said.

Tinubu’s speech serves to boost the morale of officers and men of the armed forces, as most divisions of the military are assumed overstretched in the ongoing battles against criminal elements and terrorists across various fronts.

Rather than condemn, the president appears, therefore, to explore the commendation card, which, indeed, may yet serve as a soothing balm to lift battle-weary spirits in the quest to reclaim Nigerians’ lost sense of security.

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