APC Campaign Council: Edu, Olejeme Get Key Roles Despite Corruption Cases

APC Campaign Council: Edu, Olejeme Get Key Roles Despite Corruption Cases
Both officials previously faced corruption allegations and legal proceedings.
Their appointments come ahead of APC’s 2027 presidential campaign.

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and former chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Ngozi Olejeme, have been named members of the All Progressives Congress 2027 presidential campaign council despite facing corruption related allegations and legal proceedings.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the APC unveiled the campaign council on Saturday, appointing former Zamfara State Governor and serving senator, Abdulaziz Yari, as Director General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma was named Secretary.

Edu, listed as number 97, was appointed Director of Women’s Mobilisation.

Her appointment comes more than two years after President Bola Tinubu suspended her as humanitarian affairs minister over a controversial financial transaction.

On January 8, 2024, Tinubu suspended Edu after a memo emerged in which she reportedly directed the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer ₦585 million to a private account.

The President subsequently directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the ministry’s financial transactions.

Edu was later questioned by EFCC officials in Abuja.

In April 2024, the EFCC announced that it had recovered N30 billion in connection with its investigation into activities within the ministry. The commission also said it was examining about 50 bank accounts.

Edu was eventually removed from the Federal Executive Council in October 2024.

Tinubu later appointed Nentawe Yilwatda as her replacement during a cabinet reshuffle. Five days after the reshuffle, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed that Edu was no longer in the cabinet.

Onanuga said, “As far as this government is concerned, there is no longer a place for her in that cabinet.”

He added that the EFCC had yet to make its findings on the investigation public.

Olejeme Gets South South Role

Olejeme, listed as number 37, was appointed South South Zonal Director for Election Planning, Coordination and Mobilisation.

Her appointment comes amid a pending money laundering case filed against her by the EFCC.

In October 2025, the agency arraigned Olejeme before a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged ₦1 billion money laundering.

She faced eight counts involving alleged conversion, transfer, procurement and possession of proceeds of unlawful activities.

The EFCC alleged that Olejeme diverted NSITF funds between 2012 and 2015 while serving as chairman of the agency’s board.

The prosecution told the court that it planned to call 14 witnesses. Justice Emeka Nwite subsequently released Olejeme to her lawyer and adjourned the case to November 17 for hearing of her bail application.

In September 2017, the EFCC declared Olejeme wanted over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering” involving about ₦69 billion.

In July 2020, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 properties allegedly linked to her.

She was also arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in October 2021 on nine counts.

APC Campaign Council: Edu, Olejeme Get Key Roles Despite Corruption Cases

The appointments place both Edu and Olejeme in key positions as the APC prepares for the 2027 presidential election, despite their previous investigations and ongoing legal issues.