Victor EzejaThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate suspension, investigation and possible prosecution of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over his alleged involvement in siphoning of N438 million poverty alleviation fund under the supervision of Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Tunji-Ojo was on Tuesday, summoned at the Presidential Villa following news of payment of N438 million as consultancy fee to a company linked to him by the suspended minister.
Edu, 37, was on Monday, suspended by the Presidency following outrage over her role in the alleged diversion of N585 million in the ministry. She was subsequently invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer some questions regarding the matter.
The Minister of Interior, who appeared on Channels Television on Monday, distanced himself from the processes leading to the award of the consultancy contract to the company, called New Planet. He, however, admitted being an MD of the company some time in the past but resigned when he was going into public service as a member of the House of Representatives representing Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State from 2019 to 2023.
He said that currently he is only a shareholder in the company and could not have been involved in the management that bided for the contract.
However, the PDP in a statement signed its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused the two ministers (Edu and Tunji-Ojo) of using the company that Tunji-Ojo has interest in “to allegedly siphon funds meant for poor Nigerians under the guise of consultancy fee for unsubstantiated verification of households in the country.”
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“The PDP demands that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu take immediate action to protect the resources meant for the wellbeing of poor Nigerians from further plundering by suspending the Interior Minister over the alleged fraud and hand him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation like his suspended counterpart.
“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 opposition party stated.
The party challenged 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 by the company.
“The continuing stay in office of Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as Minister of Interior can only further confirm PDP’s position that the Tinubu-led APC administration is a haven for treasury looters. “
The party further asserted that the only way President Tinubu can reassure Nigerians that his administration is ready to fight corruption is by removing the Minister of Interior from office and setting up an independent inquiry into the disbursement of the N438 million with the view to not only exposing and prosecuting all those involved in the alleged scam but also to recover and channel the money for the wellbeing of Nigerians.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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