Betta Edu | |
---|---|
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation | |
In office 21 August 2023 on suspension since 8 January 2024 –23 October 2024 | |
Preceded by | Sadiya Umar Farouq |
National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress | |
In office March 2022 –August 2023 | |
Cross River State Commissioner for Health | |
In office December 2019 –March 2022 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Betta Chimaobim Eke 27 October 1986 Lagos,Nigeria |
Political party | All Progressives Congress (2021–present) |
Alma mater | University of Calabar [ citation needed ] |
Occupation | Politician |
Website | www |
Betta Chimaobim Edu (born 27 October 1986) [1] is a Nigerian medical doctor turned politician. She served as national women leader of All Progressive Congress. [2] She was Cross River State Commissioner for Health until her resignation in 2022. [3] She was also National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum. [4] [5] [6]
She completed her secondary education in 2001 at the Federal Government Girls College,Calabar and obtained her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar in 2009. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School Hygiene &Tropical Medicine,a master's degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine and Doctor of Public Health from Texila American University. [7] [8]
In 2015,Edu became the youngest person to be appointed Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade on Community and Primary Healthcare. [9]
In 2020,she became chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce. [10] In August that year,she was appointed National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum. [11] Edu is a Fellow of the Royal School of Public Health in and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals. [12] Betta Edu became the youngest national woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2022. [1]
In July 2023,the state Women Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across all 36 states in Nigeria including that of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) passed a vote of confidence on Betta Edu. They did this during their visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa,Abuja. [13] [14]
Also in July 2023,the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Maryam Babangida National Center For Women Development Headed by DG Asabe Vilita Bashir,in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development awarded Betta Edu the Award of Excellence in Leadership for gender inclusion and women empowerment. This is in recognition of her commitment to championing the cause of empowering women,children,and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria. [15] [16]
In July 2023,President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Betta Edu for minister as the Nigerian senate unveiled the 28 nominees for ministerial appointment. [18] [19] Making her the first female minister from Cross River State and the youngest minister at the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria in the Fourth Nigerian republic. [20] [21]
In August 2023,Betta was sworn in as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and the All progressives congress replaced her as National women leader. [22] [23] [24]
In 2020,Edu was accused of posting fake photos of ventilators. [25] The Cross River state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association passed a vote of no confidence on Edu over accusations of professional misconduct in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. [26] Edu claims the vote of no confidence was political. [27] In 2022,during her campaign to become National Women Leader of the APC,Edu was accused of procedural misconduct. [3]
On 8 January 2024,she was suspended from her position as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allegedly diverting ₦585 million in ministry funds to a personal bank account. [28] [29] President Tinubu asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a thorough investigation. [30]
The investigation that followed suggested a theft of public funds many times larger. In April 2024,the EFCC's chair,Olanipekun Olukayode,wrote,"As it is now,we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into." The approximate average amount in each of Edu's bank accounts that the EFCC had by then traced and seized seems to have been about ₦600 million,for a total,across her 50 or more accounts,of some ₦30 billion. According to a BBC publication the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had recovered an equivalent of $24million from accounts allegedly linked to Edu. As of the EFCC's April 2024 update,Edu has not been legally charged or fired from her position. [31]
Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu is a Nigerian politician who has served the 16th president of Nigeria since 2023. He was previously the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007,and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic.
George Akume;born 27 December 1953) is a Nigerian politician who is the 21st and current Secretary to the Government of the Federation. He served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs from 2019 to 2023,during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. He was the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District between 2007 and 2019. He was also the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015. He served as the Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007.
Nuhu Ribadu mni is a Nigerian politician and retired police officer who has served as the National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu.
Mohammed Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso,FNSE FNIQS is a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kano state from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2015. After he lost his re-election in 2003,he was appointed the first Minister of Defence of the Fourth Republic with no prior military background,from 2003 to 2007,under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was later elected to the Senate in 2015,serving one term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Kano Central Senatorial District.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering. The EFCC was established in 2003,partially in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF),which named Nigeria as one of 23 countries non-cooperative in the international community's efforts to fight money laundering. The agency has its head office in Abuja,Nigeria.
Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the 15th president of the Nigerian Senate since 2023. He was first elected as Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in 2015,lost in the 2019 senatorial elections and won in the 2023 elections. He also served as minister for Niger Delta Affairs from 2019 up till 2022 when he resigned to seek re-election into the Nigerian senate. He had previously served as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015.
Kashim Shettima Mustapha is a Nigerian politician who is the 15th and current vice president of Nigeria. He previously served as senator for Borno Central from 2019 to 2023,and as the governor of Borno State from 2011 to 2019.
Oluremi "Remi" Tinubu is a Nigerian politician and current first lady of Nigeria since 2023,as wife of President Bola Tinubu. She was the first lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 when her husband was governor. She was the senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District at the Nigerian National Assembly from 2011 to 2023. She is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party.
Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo is a Nigerian lawyer,professor,and politician who served as the 14th vice president of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023. A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC),he previously served as Attorney General of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and holds the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
David Nweze Umahi is a Nigerian politician who serves as the minister of works of Nigeria. He previously served as the senator representing Ebonyi South senatorial district from June to August 2023,and as the governor of Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023;and deputy governor from 2011 to 2015.
Sadiya Umar Farouq is a Nigerian politician who served as the Pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,Disaster Management and Social Development.
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele popularly known as MOB,is a Nigerian lawyer,human right activist,and politician who is currently serving as the majority leader of the Nigerian Senate since 2023. He has represented Ekiti Central senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate since 2019.
Bassey Albert Akpan CON is a Nigerian politician who has been a member of the Senate of Nigeria since June 2015. Previously,he was Commissioner of Finance in Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2014. He was first elected to the Senate in March 2015,to represent Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District and he won re-election for a second time in the February 2019 senatorial elections. He is a member of the ypp.ng.
Yahaya Adoza Bello is a Nigerian businessman,politician. He served as the governor of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024. A member of the All Progressives Congress,Bello was the youngest governor in Nigeria throughout his term in office.
Rose Okoji Oko was a Nigerian politician and senator. She was a Member of the Federal House of Representatives from the People's Democratic Party (PDP),representing Yala/Ogoja Federal Constituency in Nigeria's 7th National Assembly. She was elected into office as the first female representative from her constituency in June 2011 and sat as Deputy Chairman House Committee on Education. She was the Senator representing the people of Cross River North Senatorial District. She was elected into office as the first female representative from her Senatorial District in June 2015.
Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu is a Nigerian politician who has served as the governor of Lagos State since 2019.
Peter Onyeluka Nwaoboshi is a Nigerian politician who served as the senator representing Delta North senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate from 2015 to 2023. He was sacked shortly after being announced senator-elect during the 2019 general elections by a Federal High Court in Abuja,following allegations that he was not validly elected by his political party. The Appeal Court in Abuja however overturned the decision on 30 May 2019. The lead judge held that the Federal High Court that nullified his election had no jurisdiction over the case.
Abdulrasheed Bawa is a Nigerian detective and law enforcement agent who served as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from 24 February 2021 to 14 June 2023 when he was suspended on by President Bola Tinubu over allegations of corruption. He replaced Umar Mohammed Abba,the acting Chairman of the commission. Until his appointment,he was the Deputy Chief Superintendent of the anti-graft agency.
The 2023 Kwara State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023,to elect the Governor of Kwara State,concurrent with elections to the Kwara State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been renominated by his party.
Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye is a Nigerian lawyer,entrepreneur,politician,and film producer. She contested for the first female candidate for the presidency in Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections but later stepped down for Bola Tinubu. She was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development on 21 August 2023 a position she held until 23 October 2024.