Renowned Nigerian-American professor, Farooq Kperogi, has raised concerns over corruption scandals emerging within President Bola Tinubu’s administration, echoing patterns seen during the Muhammadu Buhari era.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Kperogi addressed recent reports of corruption within two agencies under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The controversy involves Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, who allegedly directed the Accountant General of the Federation to transfer public funds to a private account belonging to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, a project manager in the ministry working with vulnerable groups.
Kperogi called on President Tinubu to take decisive action against Edu, emphasizing that failure to do so would compromise the administration’s moral standing in addressing corruption issues. He drew parallels with the actions of Edu’s predecessor, Sadiya Umar Farouq, who is currently facing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The professor expressed concern over the recurrence of corruption issues similar to those witnessed during Buhari’s tenure. He cited instances of financial impropriety within Sadiya Umar Farouq’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and noted the ongoing investigation into the alleged laundering of over N37 billion.
Highlighting a leaked memo from December 20, 2023, Kperogi revealed that Edu instructed the transfer of more than N500 million, designated for vulnerable groups in certain states, to a private UBA account, violating Nigeria’s public sector financial regulation law. He underscored the gravity of such actions, stating that paying public money into private accounts is considered fraudulent under the relevant regulations.
Kperogi concluded by emphasizing the significance of this moment for Tinubu, urging him to dismiss Edu promptly and pursue justice. Failure to do so, he argued, would undermine Tinubu’s moral authority to address corruption within his administration, mirroring the issues faced during Buhari’s governance.
