The PREMIUM TIMES has learned that Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant General of the Federation, contests Minister Betta Edu’s assertion that the N585.2 million in government monies that were moved to a private account was lawful. Edu requested the move, which violated financial restrictions prohibiting the transfer of public funds into private accounts, as shown by the leaked memo. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Nigeria’s Financial Regulations 2009, Chapter 7, Section 713, clearly forbids such transactions and emphasizes the division between public and private funds. Through her media assistant, Rasheed Zubair, Edu’s defense team maintains that the payment is legitimate in the civil service and attributes the disclosure to a scheme to blackmail her.
In response, Accountant General Madein distanced her office from the illegal transaction, clarifying that the advised payment procedure was not followed. She emphasized that bulk payments of N585.2 million should go through ministries, not an individual’s account, and be directed to verified bank accounts of beneficiaries.
Edu’s ministry, however, proceeded with the payment to Bridget Oniyelu’s private account against Madein’s advice, violating Nigerian law. This controversy adds to the ongoing EFCC investigation of the suspended National Coordinator of NSIPA, Halima Shehu, for alleged N37.1 billion fraud within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
In December, Shehu reported that 1.5 million households received N20,000 through the Conditional Cash Transfer program. Nigerians, angered by the memo, are demanding Edu’s suspension from office as questions surrounding financial irregularities deepen within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
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