Dr Betta Edu’s Biography
Betta C. Edu is a Nigerian politician and the national female head of the All Progressive Congress. She was born on October 27, 1986. From 2022 until her departure, she served as the Cross River State Commissioner for Health. She served as the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum’s National Chairman as well.
She was suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on January 8, 2024, due to a N585 million controversy.
Dr Betta Edu Age
Born on October 27, 1986, is Betta Edu. By October 27, 2023, she will turn 37 years old, bringing her present age to 36.
Dr. Betta Edu’s Background and Education
Betta is a native of Cross River State’s Abi Local Government Area. She finished her secondary education in 2001 at the Federal Government Girls College in Calabar, and in 2009, she graduated from the University of Calabar with a first degree in medicine and surgery.
She holds a doctorate in public health from Texila American University, a postgraduate diploma in public health for developing countries from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and a master’s degree in public health in developing countries from the same institutions.
Dr Betta Edu’s Career
Edu was selected as the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade’s Special Adviser on Community and Primary Healthcare in 2015, making her the youngest person to hold the position.
She became leadership of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce in 2020. She was named National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum in August of that same year.
Edu is a Fellow of the African Institute of Public Health Professionals and the Royal School of Public Health.
In March 2022, Betta Edu was elected as the All Progressives Congress (APC) youngest national woman leader.
Betta promised women 35 percent affirmative action from President Bola Tinubu as the APC National Women’s Leader during the 2023 Nigerian general elections campaign.
Betta Edu received a vote of confidence from the state Women Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in July 2023 from all 36 states in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). When they went to see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, they did this.
Additionally, in July 2023, Betta Edu received the Award of Excellence in Leadership for gender inclusion and women’s empowerment from the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Maryam Babangida National Center for Women Development, which is overseen by DG Asabe Vilita Bashir. This is in honor of her dedication to advancing Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations, including women, children, and those with disabilities.
As the 28 candidates for cabinet appointments were announced by the Nigerian Senate in July 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu proposed Betta Edu for the position. She became the first female minister from Cross River State and the youngest minister in the Fourth Nigerian Republic’s Federal Executive Council.
Betta Edu will subsequently be suspended by President Tinubu following a N585 million controversy that sparked a public outrage.
Controversies
In 2020, Edu was accused of publishing false photographs of ventilators. The Nigerian Medical Association’s Cross River state chapter voted no confidence in Edu following claims of professional malpractice during the COVID-19 outbreak. Edu says that the vote of no confidence was political. Edu was accused of procedural wrongdoing in 2022 while running for APC National Women’s Leader.
On January 8, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dismissed her from her position as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation due to an alleged ₦585 million controversy within the government. President Tinubu has requested the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a thorough inquiry.
Dr. Betta Edu’s Political Career
She entered politics because of Dr. Linda Ayade, the ex-governor of Cross River’s wife. Betta Edu refers to Linda as a “medical colleague and very close friend.”
Edu was selected as the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade’s Special Adviser on Community and Primary Healthcare in 2015, making her the youngest person to hold the position.
Before her defection in 2021, Edu was a registered member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the defection of her principal, Ben Ayade, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in May 2021.
She became leadership of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce in 2020. She was named National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum in August of that same year.
Edu is a Fellow of the African Institute of Public Health Professionals and the Royal School of Public Health.
In March 2022, Betta Edu was elected as the All Progressives Congress (APC) youngest national woman leader.
As a minister, Betta Edu paid N585 million into an individual, Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola’s account
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered a thorough investigation into the incident after a leaked document revealed Betta Edu, the Accountant General of the Federation, had transferred public funds – N585.2 million – into the private account of an official in her ministry, Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
Dr Betta Edu Apologised for supporting the #EndSARS protest
During the #EndSARS protest, where young Nigerians demanded the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit (SARS) and an end to police violence all across the country, Betta Edu was one of the vocal participants.
Later, after losing her bid to become the party’s National Women Leader, she deleted all of the tweets that were critical of the APC and apologized for her role in the demonstration.
“I am aware of the fact that some of my previous actions as a member of the opposition party, particularly my stance during the widespread ENDSARS protests that gripped the nation in the year 2020, have caused confusion and led some to question both my loyalty to the APC and my fitness to serve in its leadership structure,” she said at the time.
I want to clear the air and provide a context understanding of these isolated comments at issue today by stating clearly and completely the reasons that motivated my actions at a critical juncture in the country’s recent history. While I admire the bravery and devotion of our party members whose scrutiny of my profile unearthed past comments and positions.
“Like most Nigerians, I was sympathetic to the cause when the ENDSARS protest first started in the year 2020 as a civil agitation against the very real issue of police brutality. This was especially true because I had also been subjected to a traumatic experience by policemen who disregarded their professional ethics and my fundamental rights as a Nigerian.
“I do accept that some of my impetuous tweets and responses to news reports at the event’s peak may have been impolite and misrepresented my genuine view on matters. Being a mom and a human, I am susceptible to emotions.
However, I want to comfort and implore my progressive comrades who are voicing concerns not to minimize my intentions and complex political stances in the past to a few poorly phrased tweets.
Dr. Betta Edu’s Husband and children
Betta Edu has done a commendable job of keeping her family out of the public eye. She does, however, have a husband and two kids.
She knew Edu’s husband from their school days.
Dr. Betta Edu Awards
- Nigerian Quintessential Woman Award, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (2020).
- Award for Excellence, National Youth Council of Nigeria (2020)
- Medical Expert of the Year (2020).
- Award for excellence in gender inclusion, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (2023)
Who is Betta Edu?
Dr. Betta C. Edu, a physician and expert in public health, was born in Lagos to Mr. Emmanuel Eke, a businessman who worked for an engineering firm before going on to become a missionary upon his return to Nigeria. Her mother was a housewife who stayed home.
When Edu, a twin, was around eight years old, she and her four other siblings as well as her parents returned to Cross River.
Betta Edu described her life in London as follows:
Where is Dr Betta Edu from?
Betta is a native of Cross River State’s Abi Local Government Area. She graduated from Federal Government Girls College in Calabar in 2001 after completing her secondary school there, and in 2009, she earned her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar.
What is Dr. Betta Edu’s educational background?
Betta Edu finished her secondary school at the Federal Government Girls College in Calabar and received a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar. She went on to earn further degrees in several medical and leadership sectors while pursuing a master’s degree at the University of London.
What political roles has Betta Edu held?
Betta Edu has held several important political positions, including that of the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Women’s Leader and Governor Benedict Ayade’s special counselor on community and primary healthcare. She also held the position of Cross River State Primary Health Care Agency’s first Director-General.
How did Betta Edu contribute to the COVID-19 response in Cross River State?
In Cross River State, Betta Edu was instrumental in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. She built the emergency operations center for the COVID-19 response and presided over the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce. When she was chosen to serve as the National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum, her efforts were appreciated.
What philanthropic activities is Betta Edu involved in?
Betta Edu is well renowned for her charitable work, especially in aiding the education of disadvantaged children in her community.
What controversies has Betta Edu faced in her political career?
Betta Edu was threatened with disqualification due to electoral rules governing political appointees during her campaign for the APC National Women’s Leader position. She was also accused of posting purportedly false images of ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a vote of no confidence from the Cross River state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, which she disputed as being motivated by politics.
