Social commentator and anti-corruption advocate, Mahdi Shehu, has voiced strong criticism regarding the inclusion of Betta Edu, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council for the upcoming 2027 general elections. Shehu's remarks came after the Presidency released a comprehensive list of 223 members appointed to the campaign council on Saturday.

In a post on his official X handle, Shehu expressed his concerns over Edu's presence in the campaign team, particularly in light of ongoing allegations of financial misconduct against her. He questioned the standards being utilized for member selection in the party's campaign structure, stating, "When the likes of Betta Edu, number 97 on the list, are part of the campaign team of APC, then one can predict the contents of the campaign arising from the well-documented attitude and trademark of the characters."

Shehu further emphasized the gravity of the situation by highlighting the implications of having someone facing pending allegations involving billions of naira included in a significant political campaign. He remarked, "With pending alleged multi-billion fraud and theft and yet able to be nominated as a member of the campaign council, Betta Edu has gone to prove one thing: criminal record is an asset and crime has a special 7-star accommodation."

The commentator's criticism underscores what he perceives as a troubling trend within Nigeria's democratic landscape, where individuals with serious allegations against them can still secure prominent roles. He also referenced Halima Shehu, a former National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA), who had raised concerns about alleged fraud but faced backlash for her whistleblowing. Shehu lamented that Nigeria's democracy is characterized by contradictions and a lack of accountability, stating, "Nigeria’s democracy is full of irony and shamelessness, where people like Halima Shehu, who blew a whistle of fraud, are being blackmailed."

In contrast to Shehu's criticism, youth leaders within the APC have expressed their support for the inclusion of the youth minister in the presidential campaign council, as reported by Punch Newspapers. This divergence in opinions highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the appropriateness of certain figures in the political sphere as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.