Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a stern ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, warning of potential legal action should he fail to initiate an investigation into the alleged payment of N585,189,500.00 into a private account by Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
In a statement released on Sunday, Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of SERAP, emphasized the organization’s readiness to take legal recourse if the matter is not addressed promptly.
Previously reported by Media Talk Africa, Betta Edu confirmed allocating N585,189,500.00 intended for vulnerable individuals in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos, and Ogun states into a private account. Despite this, Edu maintains that the disbursement was conducted in accordance with due process.
SERAP highlights the alleged violation of Chapter 7, Section 713 of the Federal Government’s Financial Regulations 2009, which explicitly prohibits the deposit of personal funds into government accounts or public funds into private accounts.
In response, SERAP has called on President Tinubu to instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, along with relevant anti-corruption agencies, to launch a comprehensive investigation into the matter without delay.
In a strongly worded ultimatum, SERAP conveyed, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
It is worth noting that the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, stated that Edu was not authorized to deposit N585,198,500.00 into a private account.
