A former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mr. Femi Pedro, has urged critics to learn from the mistakes of the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu, rather than vilifying her.
Edu was suspended by President Bola Tinubu following widespread anger over an alleged N585 million scandal.
Pedro in a statement made available to journalists said the embattled minister should be given a second chance, saying she must have learnt her lessons from the problem.
He said Betta Edu is a promising bright star who could have served this nation in higher capacities, adding that, “The nation needs more young people in public service and I hope her misadventure will not discourage others in her age bracket.
‘’My candid advice to all young people who are called to serve 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.
‘’To us critics and commentators, I get it that we are genuinely shocked and angry as to the level of malfeasance we are witnessing in public service, but be aware that we should rather learn from her mistakes rather than laugh at her. What happened to her could have happened to many of us whether by omission or commission.’’
Pedro added that “public service is a serious and sensitive business where your actions or inactions could have serious consequences for millions of citizens that you’ll never meet personally. Temptations, greed, and indiscipline could easily be your undoing especially if you are young, carefree, and with no one mentoring and guiding you.
