A member of the Presidential Transition Council and Executive Director of FAME Foundation, Arabirin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, has expressed her view on the allegation of N585m fraud, levelled against the sacked Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
Ronke who poured out her mind while reacting to the issues surrounding the allegation, appealed to Nigerians to stay away from gossip and media trials, and allow the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to conduct a proper investigation into the allegation, noting that only the EFCC could confirm whether Edu had indeed stepped on toes about the alleged scandal or not.
According to the businesswoman who said she does not believe in traps, if Edu respected the law and followed the laid down procedures, and due process in the public office, she would not have fallen into any trap.
“The question is this, how do they know it’s a trap, and who could have set a trap for her and what has she done for anybody to have set that kind of trap for her?” she asked.
The PTC member added that, “It’s subjective. The issue is about Betta not possibly following the laws, so to me, the concept of setting a trap is something that I don’t believe in.
“It’s about following the extant rules and due process. Making requests for travel and others, are we going to say it’s the permanent secretary or other staff that set a trap? It’s not a matter of trap.
“Of course, she revealed the fraud of her predecessors, but over time, that would play out after the investigation. The only person that we learned she reported was the NSIPA lady, Halima. And no one knows the actual truth of the matter. The best bet is to wait for the outcome of the investigation before making any insinuation.”
According to the investigative journalist and former editor, the allegation against one of the women at the top level of government does not mean Nigerians have not gotten the right women to lead in government.
“Women abound everywhere. So, because of the mistake of one person who is yet to be validated, will we sacrifice other women?
“She can’t be the only good woman in Nigeria. We still have a lot of women who are doing excellently well, and we will always have the ones who will excel, wherever they’re placed,” Aderonke said.