In a surprising turn of events, Dr. Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, chose to defy the directive from President Bola Tinubu on Monday evening, as revealed by Politics Nigeria.
Despite a clear instruction in the official announcement of her suspension to “hand over and fully cooperate with investigating authorities,” no immediate handover activity transpired at the ministry.
Staff members confirmed that Dr. Edu left the office shortly after receiving the suspension letter delivered by a State House official. Standard protocol was followed as all security and protocol personnel assigned to her were recalled.
Questions surrounding the official handover process were raised by an unnamed Ministry official familiar with public service operations. The official insisted that the Permanent Secretary requires an official memo, not just a media report, to act on a suspension directive.
Efforts to reach the Permanent Secretary, situated on the 5th floor of Phase 1 in the Federal Secretariat, were unsuccessful, according to Nigerian Tribune reports. Personnel at his office stated that he was busy and unavailable for comment. In response to the information about the official suspension letter, they emphasized the need for due process, stating, “The Perm Sec has not seen the letter. He’s a man of due process.” The unfolding situation leaves the ministry in a state of uncertainty as the suspended minister takes an unconventional approach to her suspension.
