| Betta Edu | |
| Office1: | Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation |
| Term Start1: | 21 August 2023 |
| Predecessor1: | Sadiya Umar Farouq |
| Office2: | National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress |
| Term Start2: | March 2022 |
| Term End2: | August 2023 |
| Office3: | Cross River State Commissioner for Health |
| Term Start3: | December 2019 |
| Term End3: | March 2022 |
| Birth Name: | Betta Chimaobim Eke |
| Birth Date: | 27 October 1986 |
| Birth Place: | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Party: | All Progressives Congress (2021–present) |
| Occupation: | Politician |
| Alma Mater: | University of Calabar |
Betta Chimaobim Edu (born 27 October 1986) is a Nigerian medical doctor turned politician. She served as national women leader of All Progressive Congress.[1] She was Cross River State Commissioner for Health until her resignation in 2022.[2] She was also National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.[3] [4] [5]
She completed her secondary education in 2001 at the Federal Government Girls College, Calabar and obtained her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar in 2009. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a master's degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Doctor of Public Health from Texila American University.[6] [7]
In 2015, Edu became the youngest person to be appointed Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade on Community and Primary Healthcare.[8]
In 2020, she became chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce.[9] In August that year, she was appointed National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.[10] Edu is a Fellow of the Royal School of Public Health in and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals.[11] Betta Edu became the youngest national woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2022.[12]
In July 2023, the state Women Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across all 36 states in Nigeria including that of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) passed a vote of confidence on Betta Edu. They did this during their visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.[13] [14]
Also in July 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Maryam Babangida National Center For Women Development Headed by DG Asabe Vilita Bashir, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development awarded Betta Edu the Award of Excellence in Leadership for gender inclusion and women empowerment. This is in recognition of her commitment to championing the cause of empowering women, children, and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.[15] [16] In July 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Betta Edu for minister as the Nigerian senate unveiled the 28 nominees for ministerial appointment.[17] [18] Making her the first female minister from Cross River State and the youngest minister at the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria in the Fourth Nigerian republic.[19] [20]
In August 2023, Betta was sworn in as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and the All progressives congress replaced her as National women leader.[21] [22] [23]
In 2020, Edu was accused of posting fake photos of ventilators.[24] The Cross River state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association passed a vote of no confidence on Edu over accusations of professional misconduct in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] Edu claims the vote of no confidence was political.[26] In 2022, during her campaign to become National Women Leader of the APC, Edu was accused of procedural misconduct.
On 8 January 2024, she was suspended from her position as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allegedly diverting ₦585 million in ministry funds to a personal bank account.[27] [28] President Tinubu asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a thorough investigation.[29]
The investigation that followed suggested a theft of public funds many times larger. In April 2024, the EFCC's chair, Olanipekun Olukayode, wrote, "As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into." The approximate average amount in each of Edu's bank accounts that the EFCC had by then traced and seized seems to have been about ₦600 million, for a total, across her 50 or more accounts, of some ₦30 billion. According to a BBC publication the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had recovered an equivalent of $24million from accounts allegedly linked to Edu. As of the EFCC's April 2024 update, Edu has not been legally charged or fired from her position.[30]