Betta Edu, Tunji-Ojo, Other Tinubu’s Appointees Enmeshed In Controversies

Some appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have attracted controversy since he assumed office in May 2023.

When Tinubu began the appointment of his aides months ago, the former Governor of Lagos State received commendations from notable individuals home and abroad as the nomination of his cabinet members was viewed as “politically correct”.

The positive reception also extended to the geographical distribution of his service chiefs.

Despite objection and criticism from some quarters, President Tinubu’s prompt policy statements were lauded for their timeliness, especially when contrasted with the perceived “uncomfortable silence” of his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, barely a year in office, many of the hailed appointees of the president have come under questioning for one reason or the other.

Below are some of the most notable appointees of the president who were and are faced with controversies:

Ajuri Ngelale‘s UAE Ban Lift Announcement, Other

The spokesperson for the president, who is 38 years old, had months ago announced that significant outcomes were achieved following the diplomatic meeting between President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on September 11, 2023.

One of the major achievements, he claimed, was the lifting of the visa ban on Nigerians by the UAE.

Naija News recalls that this ban had been imposed in October 2022 due to various disputes, including Nigeria’s failure to repatriate a substantial amount of trapped funds.

In addition, the spokesperson mentioned that both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines had resumed their flight operations to and from Nigeria. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian government did not have to make any payments for this resumption.

Furthermore, the two countries have established a comprehensive framework for investments in multiple sectors, such as defence and agriculture. These investments, facilitated by the investment arms of the UAE government, are valued at billions of dollars.

Unfortunately for Ngelale, a UAE official issued contradictory claims that his country had lifted the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers.

Naija News recalls that Ngelale’s claims were met with scepticism by numerous critics in Nigeria, who accused him of inflating the accomplishments of the gathering.

Once again, on September 30, 2023, Ngelale made the assertion that Tinubu had the distinction of being the inaugural African leader to ring the closing bell at NASDAQ, the renowned American stock exchange.

Nevertheless, it was subsequently discovered that this assertion was unfounded, as former President Kikwete of Tanzania had already rung the bell on September 21, 2011.

Ngelale eventually expressed remorse for the misinformation and acknowledged that he had been misinformed by a third-party event organizer.

The erroneous claim gained significant traction on social media platforms, prompting criticism from various quarters.

Betta Edu Alleged Fund Diversion

The name Betta Edu has been making news headlines in the last few days following her suspension by President Tinubu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Naija News reports that Edu is alleged to have diverted over 585 million naira from her ministry into a private bank account.

A leaked document had shown Edu instructing a senior treasury official to transfer the money to the personal account of the accountant for the government’s Grants for Vulnerable Groups initiative, Bridget Oniyelu.

In response to the noise surrounding the development, President Tinubu called for an investigation into the transfer and urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to thoroughly examine all aspects of the financial transactions involving the ministry.

Tinubu also emphasized the need to regain public confidence by reforming government institutions that oversee National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP).

Despite the allegations, Edu has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that she acted in the best interest of the vulnerable groups.

Edu, 37, is one of the youngest ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet and the first appointee to be suspended since Tinubu assumed office in May of last year.

Hannatu Musa NYSC Saga

Several months ago, the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, was engrossed in controversies in relation to her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) status.

This news platform understands that Musa’s NYSC trouble started after she was unable to provide evidence of her national service to senators during the screening process for an appointment she was nominated for by former President Muhammadu Buhari, three years ago.

However, the controversy reached its peak in August 2023, shortly after she assumed office under President Tinubu.

This was due to the confirmation by the NYSC management that Musawa was still undergoing her national youth service. As a result, critics started calling for her removal from the ministerial position, arguing that she couldn’t hold both positions simultaneously.

This led to a heated discussion, with a certain section of the media publishing a statement that was allegedly issued by the minister.

The statement claimed that she hadn’t violated any laws by holding a ministerial position while undergoing national service.

Nevertheless, in a statement released by the Deputy Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Suleiman Haruna, Musawa clarified that the published statement did not come from her.

She distanced herself from the contents of the statement.

It was later revealed that an NYSC discharge certificate, issued in Musawa’s name in 2003, did exist and was in the possession of the Corps.

However, the authorities withheld the document after accusing her of absconding during her service year.

Musawa, on her part, criticized the NYSC for not being diligent and thorough enough in their search for her records. She also claimed that she was not given a fair opportunity to prove that she hadn’t absconded.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s Alleged Certificate Forgery

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate controversy surrounding the incumbent Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, involved allegations of forgery and discrepancies in his certificate.

Naija News understands that Tunji-Ojo submitted his certificate for screening to the Senate, but it was discovered that he participated in the NYSC scheme at the age of 37, exceeding the maximum age limit of 30.

However, Tunji-Ojo dismissed these concerns by explaining that individuals eligible for NYSC can participate at any time after their graduation, as long as they graduate before the age of 30.

He claimed that this was his case and stated that he participated in the scheme between November 2019 and November 2020.

This raised further questions since Tunji-Ojo was a sitting member of the House of Representatives during the same period. He was elected into the House in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, representing Akoko North East/Akoko North-West Federal Constituency of Ondo State.

Despite his explanation, Tunji-Ojo failed to clarify why his NYSC certificate, which he claimed to have completed in 2020, carried the date of issuance as February 2023.

Eventually, the NYSC cleared Tunji-Ojo of any wrongdoing and confirmed the authenticity of his certificate.

Tunji-Ojo Caught In Betta Edu’s Controversy

Months after battling the NYSC certificate saga, the Minister of Interior was again enmeshed in another controversy involving the suspended minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu.

Tunji-Ojo has been invited for questioning while the nation’s anti-graft agency, EFCC was scrutinizing the N3 billion approved by the for the National Social Register contract.

It has been confirmed that an astonishing sum of N438.1 million was disbursed to New Planet Project Limited, a company in which Tunji-Ojo was identified as a director.

In the midst of demands for the President to intervene and investigate the accusations against him, the minister clarified during an interview on Channels Television that he had relinquished his directorial position in 2019 after being elected as a member of the House of Representatives.

Uju Kenny Ohanenye And Sexual Harassment Case Involvement

The minister of women’s affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has faced numerous controversies since assuming office in August 2023, Naija News understands.

One such controversy arose in September 2023 when she intervened in a sexual harassment case at the University of Calabar. She issued a threat to the victim, stating that she would be imprisoned if she lied to her.

At the time, the university was conducting an ongoing investigation into the matter, and many believed that the minister should have allowed the process to unfold naturally.

Her swift action was heavily criticized, drawing widespread condemnation. Eventually, due to public backlash and pressure from women’s rights groups, she issued an apology for her remarks.

Not long after that, the minister proposed the idea of employing children in the production of everyday items such as toothpicks, matchboxes, cotton buds, and sanitary pads.

This suggestion led to accusations of endorsing child labour and violating children’s rights. However, the minister defended herself, stating that her intention was to provide vocational training and empower schoolgirls.

Furthermore, in October 2023, the minister made headlines again by announcing her intention to sue the United Nations for not including Nigeria in the list of countries that had achieved gender equality.

She argued that Nigeria had made significant strides in empowering women and girls and deserved recognition from the global organization. However, her critics labelled her as “unrealistic” and “ignorant” of the challenges faced by Nigerian women.

Halima Shehu And Alleged N37.1 Billion Money Laundering

The former National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on January 2nd, Naija News recalls.

The suspension was prompted by allegations of financial misappropriation and money laundering, involving a sum of N37.1 billion within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

On the same day, she was apprehended and subjected to interrogation by the EFCC.

According to the EFCC, they have successfully recovered approximately N39.8 billion out of the alleged N44.8 billion embezzled from the government account under her supervision.

This development coincides with the ongoing investigation by the EFCC into the involvement of three second-generation banks in the illicit transfer of funds designated for poverty alleviation and other government intervention programs, Naija News reports.

Between the 27th and 31st of December 2023, Shehu purportedly authorized the withdrawal of N44 billion from the government account.

Prior to this position, she had served as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under the former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouk, who has also been summoned by the EFCC in relation to the same case.