Federal Capital Territory Minister, 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 her ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Wike argued that being investigated by the EFCC does not automatically prevent an individual from participating in political activities or canvassing votes for a candidate.

The former Rivers State governor stated this on Wednesday during a media parley he hosted in Abuja, which was aired on Channels Television.

He questioned what he described as a double standard in the scrutiny of individuals involved in political campaigns, stressing that a person under investigation but not convicted could still participate in political activities.

“You (media) were asking the moral justification of putting someone who has an EFCC case to be in a campaign council. And I was just watching the lady. The lady doesn’t even know what to say,” Wike said.

He added, “Now, somebody cannot be in a campaign to canvass for votes for a particular person, but somebody who has an EFCC case can contest an election and win an election?”

Wike said there had been instances where individuals facing criminal allegations or court cases contested elections and went on to win.

“This person had an EFCC case in court, charged to court. He contested an election and became a governor,” he said, without identifying the person.

The FCT minister further argued that even someone serving a prison sentence could, in principle, canvass votes for a political candidate.

“Listen. Even a prisoner… maybe they have somebody in prison. I go and visit the person. The person can tell me, ‘My brother, I want you to support so-and-so candidate.’ A prisoner has canvassed for vote,” he said.

Wike also referred to an unnamed individual who he said had been accused of involvement in a coup plot, arguing that such allegations should not automatically disqualify a person from expressing political support.

“I was watching, when Channels, when Sunrise, who came up to say, ‘Ah, how can somebody who’s being looked for as a coup plotter is now canvassing for votes for so-and-so government?’ Somebody EFCC is looking for is now canvassing for votes for so-and-so person,” he said.

He maintained that an EFCC investigation alone should not prevent an individual from serving on a campaign council.

“But… a party, or a candidate cannot, simply because EFCC is investigating the person, cannot be a member of the campaign council to campaign for votes,” Wike said.

Controversy Over Edu’s Appointment

Wike’s comments followed controversy over the inclusion of Edu in the campaign structure for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Edu was listed as Director of Women Mobilisation in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.

Tinubu suspended Edu from office in January 2024 following allegations of financial impropriety, after which the EFCC investigated the matter.

An APC campaign council spokesperson, Kemi Asekun-Shittu, had earlier defended Edu’s inclusion during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday.

Asekun-Shittu argued that Edu had not been found guilty of any offence and should not be prevented from participating in political activities while the investigation remains unresolved.

“I’d like to say that for Betta Edu, for example, she has not been found guilty. And it will be unfair to ask that she leaves her life or refuses to live her life until the EFCC declares her,” she said.

She added that the former minister deserved an opportunity to participate in the party’s activities again, noting that the case had lasted for almost two years.

Asekun-Shittu also maintained that the campaign council was an internal party affair and that the APC had the authority to determine who would serve on its campaign structure.

However, she noted that the campaign list was not final and could still be reviewed.

Edu has not been publicly declared guilty of any offence in connection with the EFCC investigation.