From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Northern youths, under the aegis of Arewa Youths, have come to the defence of embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu, whose ministry faces a presidential probe in the wake of revelations of misappropriated relief funds.
The group, in a statement by its leader, Kabiru Yusuf, expressed its dismay that “desperate ” persons are attempting to link Edu to the corruption scandal rocking the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), which has led to the suspension of its National Coordinator, Halima Shehu.
It defended the minister on the grounds that, since assuming office, she has been working assiduously to provide relief to communities affected by various forms of disaster, especially in the North.
“They started this campaign on Wednesday and intensified from Friday. Wednesday was when Dr Betta Edu went to Plateau State to ensure food and non-food relief materials are distributed to communities and survivors of the Christmas eve attacks by marauding gunmen in Plateau State,” Yusuf said in the statement.
“While there, Dr Edu visited churches and some IDPs’ camps where she observed a minute silence for the dead and addressed worshippers and victims who were taking refuge for protection after the attacks. And after that hectic humanitarian assignment, the best thank you is to launch smear campaign against her.
“We in the north worst hit by humanitarian crisis can not sit and watch those who had in the past looted funds meant to provide relief materials or palliatives to our people in dire need of support. Dr Betta Edu who has sterling leadership qualities and is always at the forefront of put smiles on the faces of the distressed when she was Commissioner of Health in her home state of Cross River and National Woman Leader of the All Progressive Congress, is doing well as a Minister,” they stated.