The All Progressives Congress (APC) has included Betta Edu, the former minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, and Ngozi Olejeme, former chairperson of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) board, in its 2027 presidential campaign council. Both women carry unresolved allegations of financial misconduct, with Edu under an ongoing Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation and Olejeme facing an active money laundering trial.
Campaign Council Unveiled
The party unveiled the campaign council on Saturday, appointing Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara West, as director-general, and Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma as secretary. According to The Cable, Edu, listed at number 97, will serve as director of women's mobilisation, while Olejeme, at number 37, was assigned the role of south-south zonal director for election planning, coordination and mobilisation.
Edu's Suspension and EFCC Probe
Edu's exit from government began in January 2024, when a memo emerged showing she had directed Oluwatoyin Madein, the accountant-general of the federation, to transfer N585 million into a private account. President Bola Tinubu suspended her on January 8, 2024, and asked the EFCC to investigate financial transactions at the humanitarian affairs ministry. She was subsequently questioned at the EFCC's Abuja headquarters.
In April 2024, the EFCC said it recovered N30 billion from its investigation into the ministry, with 50 bank accounts under scrutiny. That October, Tinubu replaced Edu with Nentawe Yilwatda during a cabinet reshuffle. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga later confirmed her exit, saying, "as far as this government is concerned, there is no longer a place for her in that cabinet." As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC has not made its findings on Edu public.
Olejeme's Pending Trial
Olejeme's situation is more legally advanced. In October 2025, the EFCC arraigned her before a federal high court in Abuja on an eight-count charge of money laundering totalling N1 billion, with prosecutors alleging she diverted NSITF funds between 2012 and 2015 while heading the board. She pleaded not guilty, and the presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, ordered her release to her counsel and adjourned the case for a bail hearing. As of the time of filing this report, the current status of that hearing remains unclear.
The charges are not new to Olejeme. The EFCC first declared her wanted in September 2017 over allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering running to N69 billion. A federal high court in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 properties allegedly linked to her in July 2020, and she was separately arraigned on a nine-count charge before an FCT high court judge in October 2021.
Former APC Senator Joins PDP
Legit.ng earlier reported that Senator Saliu Mustapha picked the PDP senatorial nomination form on Friday, hours after announcing his resignation from the APC. Mustapha's move sets up a direct 2027 electoral clash with Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who holds the APC ticket for the same district. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and opposition stakeholders were reportedly involved in courting the senator to the PDP.
