Interior Minister, Tunji-Ojo denies N438 million contract award allegations

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has refuted claims suggesting his involvement as a signatory in the company implicated in N438 million contract allegations linked to the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu.

A leaked memo circulating online indicated that a company, allegedly owned by Tunji-Ojo, received N438 million designated as ‘consultancy fees’ from Edu.

Reacting to the allegation in an interview on Channels TV on Monday, Tunji-Ojo said, “I am not a signatory to the company.”

“And actually, I was shocked because the company in question was a company where I was a director. About five years ago, I had resigned from my directorship,” he added.

Meanwhile, the minister confirmed his role in co-founding the company with his wife and attributed his resignation in 2019 from the firm to his political ambitions.

READ ALSO: Passports backlog and Minister Tunji-Ojo’s wave of ‘magic wand’

“I and my wife founded the company 15 years ago. Well, in 2019, when I got to the House of Representatives I won the election precisely, I made a change. I had resigned as director of the company to hold office.

“Of course, and to the best of my knowledge, the public service rule does not prohibit public officers from being shareholders,” Olubunmi said.

The embattled minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu, was suspended by President Bola Tinubu after allegedly diverting more than N585 million to a private account.

Also, a leaked memo circulating online showed that a company, New Planet Project Limited, was awarded contracts worth N438 million as ‘consultancy fees’ from Edu.

The connection between the firm and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, raises concerns about a potential conflict of interest. It prompts scrutiny into whether the minister may have miss-used his position to secure the contract.

Meanwhile, Tunji-Ojo clarified in an interview on Monday that he is no longer a signatory of the company since he resigned from it in 2019 after winning the House of Representatives seat.

He therefore noted that there cannot be any conflict of interest, adding that he cannot be held responsible for the actions of the company he no longer runs.