“How Could I Have Done That?” – Interior Minister, Tunji-Ojo Reacts To Alleged Contract Scandal

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has reacted to allegations of influencing a company he has an interest in to get a consultancy contract in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

“How could I have done that?”, “On what basis” Tunji-Ojo queried the claims against him.

Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been suspended from office and undergoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the orders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

That New Planet Project Limited, a company founded by Tunji-Ojo received N438m consultancy fee is part of the corruption allegations revolving around Edu.

But the Interior Minister who admitted founding the company fifteen years ago explained he distanced himself from its operations five years ago.

“I founded the company about 15 years ago and in 2019 when I got to the House of Representatives, when I won election, I resigned as a director of the company. I resigned on 4th of February” he disclosed while buttressing his assertions with a certified true copy of document from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) affirming his position during an appearance on a television station – Channels.

“I do not run the company, I am not a signatory to any account, I am not a director of the company, I am not involved in the day-to-day running of the organization” he further declared and expressed shock regarding the allegations of contract influencing.

Pointing out that “I came into public office with a commitment to base my services on sincerity of purpose and openness because, I believe that Nigerians deserve to know and don’t deserve to be kept in the dark in terms of public operations,”, the Minister admitted that he remains a shareholder of the company which is in line with civil service rules.

“Public service rule does not prohibit public officers from being shareholders, what public service rule says is you can not be a director, of which I have resigned about 5 years ago. and secondly I don’t want to defend the company because the company has management and directors that can defend them, the company can defend itself. but for me – i am a different entity” he insisted.