“I’m not signatory to firm” 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. 

• “I and my wife founded the company 15 years 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.

What you should know

• 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 misused 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.