The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday demanded the immediate suspension of Minister of Interior, Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over the award of a N438 million contract to a company he co-founded by the humanitarian affairs ministry.
Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to protect the resources meant for the wellbeing of poor Nigerians from further plundering by suspending Ojo and handing him over to the EFCC for investigation.
The party said, “Nigerians are appalled by the lame excuse by Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in claiming that he has no interest in the company despite his confession of owning huge shares in the firm; a channel through which he allegedly benefitted immensely from the said fraudulent consultancy fee payment.
“The PDP challenges the Interior minister to publish the details of the due process certification documents, the scope of job, the experts and modules used as well as particulars of the 11 million Nigerian households claimed to have been verified within a space of one month.”
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The opposition party’s position aligns with that of a prominent lawyer, social critic, and senior analyst at the Tony Blair Foundation for Global Change, Audu Bulama Bukarti, who said the interior minister should be suspended and investigated.
According to Mr. Bukarti, during his appearance on Channels TV on Monday, Mr. Tunji-Ojo inadvertently revealed more than he intended. “He admitted to owning New Planet Project Ltd and acknowledged his wife’s role as a director. Furthermore, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo confirmed that the alleged N438m was transferred from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the company.
“His defence, or rather excuse, hinges on resigning from the directorship, claiming no involvement in day-to-day operations despite being an owner of the private company. He expects Nigerians to believe he had no part in securing a nearly half a billion naira contract for his own company, where his wife serves as a director. The rapid completion of a high-value consultancy contract within months raises suspicions.
“Questions about the company’s qualifications, services rendered, and the necessity of such an expensive consultancy for a ministry that is supposed to be assisting the vulnerable must be addressed. The entire situation, from inception to conclusion, reeks of corruption.
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Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, yesterday visited the Presidential Villa amid the controversy trailing revelations that a firm linked to him secured a N438 million consultancy contract for the National Social Register under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The minister faulted reports that he was summoned by the president.
Asked to comment on the controversy, Tunji-Ojo simply told State House reporters: “We’re too intelligent to be stupid.”
Tunji-Ojo had denied any involvement in the contract awarded to New Planet Project Limited, which he co-founded.
He had explained in an interview on Monday night on Channels Television that he was no longer involved in the running of the firm, having resigned as a director in 2019.