The Governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party during the last general elections and the founder of SHOGNA, Apst Dr Ngozika Johnson-Ogbuneke has spoken on the alleged N585 million naira scandal involving the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Dr Betta Edu following widespread anger Nigerians, pjtvnews reports.
Dr Beta Edu was one of the many Ministers appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu weeks after he was sworn in as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Recall that, the news of the alleged scandal of the N585 million naira scandal broke out few days ago and the media has been on widespread fire ever since with agitations from all quarters.
Dr Ngozika Johnson-Ogbuneke had asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fight corruptions from the upstream downward and not indulge in a selected fight.
Read her release below;
What a country that celebrates sycophancy, hypocrisy, mediocrity and brazen exhibition of gender injustice and inequality!
Do not mistake my stand here as being obsessively feminist. Far be it from me. I am an irrepressible advocate of equity, justice, fairness and equality, devoid of any form of prejudice.
For decades, Nigerian men and politicians have been looting, destroying and raping our economy and our collective wealth, without allowing the law to assume its full weight on these men. They divert and convert billions of naira for private purposes, and they go scot-free.
Nigerian men have always been appointed to the positions of authority in the public space, without making any significant inputs to the development of our nation state.
In Contrast- give a woman a chance at governance and the cities will be well developed and structurally built up. The Nation will flourish for everyone and NOT just for a selected few!!!
When some salary arrears are paid, workers jump up and down, as though it were a favour being done to them by the powers that be. Something that is the RIGHT of the worker!
This mindset stems from the age-long marginalization of an average Nigerian worker by the male public office holders.
They build a few kilometres of roads with heavy inflation of contract costs, and people jump and dance; whereas, a woman can build even better roads with direct labour and civil engineers from the public works department.
However, with a man, huge contracts are given out, they loot much more than N585M and no one says anything….
As a committed Christian, I search the Scriptures for much of my doings and so, permit me to refer us all to the Book of John 8:7 so when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first”
Mr President, Senator Ahmed Tinibu, sir- with this permit me to ask you, your cabinet, the Governors of the 36 States of the Federation and all their Commissioners and other Ministers, even as Christ My Lord had asked: ”He or She who has not looted Nigerian wealth, let that person step forward and accuse Ms Betta Edu”
I do not condemn nor condone what she is said to have done, but all I ask Mr President Tinubu, is that you, sir, do not use her to make scapegoat and it will seem as if indeed you are tackling the problem of Nigeria to rid the nation of corruption and fraud. Not at all.
It will be healthier for everyone if your quest for a corruption free society is started at the very top…. From upstream downwards.
Moreover, more men have looted this nation and nothing was done to them. Singling her out, is akin to you, Mr President – Senator Ahmed Tinubu, harassing her and remember that Nigeria is a co-signatory to the Committee for the rights of women, devoid of all forms of harassment under CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women), a human rights provision under the UN. So let her not be the scapegoat of your government but the platform upon which you started from upstream to clean Nigeria of corruption in service.
Nigerians will never thank you enough for it and the hungry children will be better fed.
By the time you recover those loots from 1999 and come down to that of Dr Betta Edu, you will even realise that hers were mere “chicken feed” money—- yes, Nigeria needs it recovered too but Mr President Tinubu, start from the very top to fight corruption and do not use her as any scapegoat. She has only miscalculated her chances, she is new at Office and can be amenable to change.
Finally, finally when you choose to give women a chance at Ministry or Ministerial posts, permit me even once more to speak- to ask you to look across party lines, across tribal sentiments , across religious traditions and choose women who are not hungry for money, but who are passionate for their Nigerian heritage and Nigerian Children….to serve.
Yes, by all means fight corruption but not from Dr Betta Edu- be more equitable to go after them from upstream.
I submit, that Mr President – Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu should look inwards more, and leave this Betta Edu alone for now. Let him FIRST arrest all the male looters of Nigeria spanning from 1999 before getting to Dr Betta Edu. By doing this, Mr President will be demonstrating a great sense of justice, fairness and unbiased disposition in his anti-graft campaign.
NIGERIANS – Better Days are Still Ahead!
Apostle Dr Ngozika Gladys JOHNSON OGBUNEKE.
SDP, AbiaGuber2023
Do you have any information or event for PJTV NEWS to publish or cover? Kindly Call us on +2348063615010 or send us message on Whatsapp number +2348063615010 or send us an email pjtvnews@gmail.com
