Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended the inclusion of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, in President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 campaign structure despite an ongoing investigation involving her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Wike argued that an individual being investigated by the EFCC does not, in itself, prevent the person from participating in political activities or campaigning for a candidate. He spoke on Wednesday during a media parley in Abuja, where he was asked about the decision to include Edu in Tinubu’s campaign structure.
The FCT Minister questioned the basis for excluding politicians who are under investigation but have not been convicted or charged in court. He argued that allegations or an ongoing investigation should not automatically disqualify a person from political participation, citing instances of individuals facing criminal allegations who have contested elections and won.
Edu was listed as Director of Women Mobilisation in the APC Presidential Campaign Council for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Tinubu suspended her in January 2024 following allegations of financial impropriety, after which the EFCC began investigating the matter. Edu has not been publicly convicted of any offence arising from the investigation.
