The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has vehemently denied any involvement in the N438.1 million consultancy contract between New Planet Project Limited and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The denial comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, to investigate all financial transactions involving the ministry.
The directive followed the suspension of Dr. Betta Edu, the former minister in charge of the ministry, amidst criticism and leaked memos regarding the transfer of N585 million to a private account. Reports had suggested that a company owned by the Minister of Interior, New Planet Project Limited, was allegedly paid N438.1 million by Edu for consultancy services.
In response, Tunji-Ojo appeared on Channels TV Politics Today to set the record straight. He disclosed that he founded the company 10 years ago but resigned from directorship in 2019 when he contested for the House of Representatives. The Minister of Interior clarified that he is just a shareholder in the company and is not involved in its day-to-day operations.
Tunji-Ojo expressed shock at the allegations and stated, “I have to say this, I saw it and I was shocked because the company in question was a company where I was the director. About five years ago, I had resigned my directorship. Yes, I founded the company 10 years ago. In 2019 and when I got to the House of Representatives, when I won the election precisely, I resigned. I resigned 4th of February 2019 with a Certified True Copy of Corporate Affairs Commission as far back as 2019 to prove this.”
Emphasizing that he has no involvement in the company’s operations, Tunji-Ojo urged relevant agencies to probe the contract processes to ensure due diligence and adherence to the terms of the agreement. The Minister of Interior stressed that he came into public office knowing that Nigerians would ask questions, and he welcomes a thorough investigation into the matter.
