Betta Edu and Ngozi Olejeme Phoro: InshotÂ
By Toyin WilliamsÂ
Controversies have continued to trail the Inclusion of former minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu and former chairperson of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) board, Ngozi Olejeme in the 2027 presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Political analysts have criticised their inclusion based on allegations of financial misconduct levelled against them which culminated to their removal from office.
Recall that last Saturday, the APC unveiled its presidential campaign council, with Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara west, named director-general and Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, appointed secretary.
Edu was appointed director of women’s mobilisation for the campaign council, while Olejeme appointed as south-south zonal director for election planning, coordination and mobilisation.
It would be recalled that Edu was suspended on January 8, 2024 by President Bola Tinubu after a memo revealed that she asked Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the federation, to transfer N585 million to a private account.
The president also asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the financial transactions of the humanitarian affairs ministry.
Following her suspension, the former minister was grilled at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
Subsequently, the president suspended all programmes administered by the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) for six weeks as part of a probe into alleged malfeasance in the management of the agency and its activities.
The EFCC also said in April 2024, that it recovered N30 billion following an investigation into the ministry’s activities, adding that 50 bank accounts were under investigation.
On October 22, Tinubu named Nentawe Yilwatda, current national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as Edu’s replacement during a cabinet reshuffle.
Five days later, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, confirmed that Edu had left Tinubu’s cabinet, saying, “as far as this government is concerned, there is no longer a place for her in that cabinet.”
Onanuga however added the EFCC was yet to make the details public. Till date, the report on the suspended Minister has not been released.
For Olejeme, the EFCC in October 2025 arraigned her before a federal high court in Abuja over alleged N1 billion money laundering.
She was arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on converting, transferring, procuring, and taking possession of proceeds of unlawful activity.
According to the EFCC, Olejeme allegedly diverted several funds belonging to the agency between 2012 and 2015 while serving as the chairperson of the board.
She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, following which Emenike Mgbemele, the EFCC counsel, requested a trial date, stating that the prosecution intended to call 14 witnesses.
Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, ordered that the defendant be released to her counsel and adjourned the case to November 17 for hearing of the bail application.
The anti graft agency declared Olejeme wanted in September 2017 over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering” to the tune of N69 billion.
In July 2020, a federal high court sitting in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 properties allegedly owned by the former NSITF boss.
In October 2021, she was arraigned on a nine-count charge before Maryam Hassan Aliyu, judge of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court.
