"If It Were to Be an Elected Person": Lawyer Speaks on Tinubu's Action on Betta Edu
- President Bola Tinubu has been praised for swiftly suspending the embattled minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu
- Okanlawon Gaffar, a legal icon, told Legit.ng that the action of the president was to defend the integrity that his administration was building
- The legal practitioner maintained that Tinubu hired Edu and also fired her, which was still within the ambience of the law
Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.
President Bola Tinubu has been commended for suspending Betta Edu, the minister of humanitarian affairs, currently answering questions on financial misappropriation from the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Okanlawon Gaffar, a legal practitioner, made the commendation while speaking with Legit.ng in an interview, noting that the President hired the minister and can as well fire her.
Source: Twitter
Why Tinubu suspended Betta Edu
In a leaked letter signed by Edu and dated December 20, 2023, addressed to the accountant-general of the federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, asked the nation's account office that over N500 million allocated for "Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos" should be deposited into the personal UBA account of one Bridget Mojisola Oniyelu.
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President Tinubu not satisfied with the defence of the minister when the report got to the media space, announced her suspension and ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the development.
Lawyer reacted to the suspension of Betta Edu
Reacting to the development, Gaffar posited that the president's action was to defend his administration from being messed up with such allegations.
His comment reads:
"Just like the common principle of the law of contract, he who hires can fire. Therefore, there is no legal wrong in the suspension of Betta Edu by the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He just doesn't want the current allegation to mess up with his style of governance.
"If it were to be an elected person, I am sure the president wouldn't have the legal capacity to have instructed the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
"In this instance situation, the president has done no wrong. It's just going to give the suspended Minister, who was also former Commissioner for Health in Cross Rivers State, to answer to the allegations before her."
"What is the role of Permanent Secretary": Lawyer speaks on Betta Edu's dilemma
Legit.ng earlier reported that Betta Edu, the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty allegation, has been faulted for going against the youth-oriented values.
Barrister Titilope Anifowoshe faulted Edu's action while speaking with Legit.ng, adding that the embattled minister's action contradicted the existing public service rules, ICPC Act and Penal Code.
However, Anifowoshe wondered why the minister was the first point of request and why the permanent secretary could not give proper advice.
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Source: Legit.ng
