10 months ago
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A former deputy governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro has urged Nigerians to forgive the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu and give her a second chance.
Speaking on his first encounter with Edu, Pedro described the embattled minister as a very focused and determined woman.
He explained that after meeting her, he was drawn to her style, carriage and comportment.
Speaking via a statement on Wednesday, the former Lagos leader described Edu as his daughter and expressed sympathy over her present predicament.
According to him, “I first met Betta when she was introduced to me as a candidate for Women Leader of our party in Abuja in early 2022.
“Shortly after, she was in Lagos on a courtesy visit and I immediately liked her style, her carriage and comportment.
“She exuded confidence, was articulate, knew what she wanted and appeared to me as focused, determined and ambitious. She later won the election and became the Party’s Women Leader.
“Betta worked very hard during the campaign. She was everywhere mobilizing women, campaiged with the Presidential Campaign team all over the country, and attended most of the events.
“We have all read about her wrongdoings and her suspension by the President and questioning by the EFCC.
“This is as it should be. I hope and pray that at the end of the day, she would have learned a hard lesson on how to conduct herself as a public officer and navigate the banana peels in the corridors of power.
“Betta Edu is like a daughter to me and I feel really sorry for her for the mess she finds herself in. I asked myself what if she’s my daughter? Would I disown her? She’s a promising bright star who could have served this nation in higher capacities.”
Speaking further, Pedro advised young Nigerians vying for office to get a mentor with some measure of credibility to guide them.
“The nation needs more young people in public service and I hope her misadventure will not discourage others in her age bracket.
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“My advice to all young people who are called to service in public office is to seek out a mentor of a public officer serving or retired with some measure of credibility and good pedigree who will guide and mentor them on how to navigate the murky waters of public office,” he added.
