YPP urges Tinubu to suspend Tunji-Ojo within 48 hours or face a mass action campaign

NIGERIA'S Young Progressive Party (YPP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend interior minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo immediately over his role on the ongoing corruption scandal rocking the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Over the last week, Nigeria's minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation Dr Betta Edu, has been suspended after it emerged that she transferred government funds to the tune of N585.189m ($640,000) into a private account. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, said appropriate action would be taken after the investigation into the natter has been concluded.

Apparently, the money was meant for the vulnerable persons in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states but was subsequently diverted into a private account. In a document signed by Dr Edu and directed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the minister directed the disbursement of the money into one Bridget Mojisola Oniyelu’s private account.

However, Mr Tunji-Ojo's name has been associated with the scandal after it emerged that a company he owned New Planet Project, was paid a total of N438.1m by the humanitarian affairs ministry for consultancy services. Mr Tunji-Ojo has since claimed that he resigned as a director of the company in 2019 when he was elected into the House of Representatives, so knows nothing about the transaction.

Not satisfied with his explanation, the YPP has warned that it President Tinubu fails to suspend Mr Tunji-Ojo within 48 hours, it would mobilise youths across the country to shut down Abuja on Monday, January 15. In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu and signed by the party's national chairman Comrade Emmanuel Bishop Amakiri, the YPP cited alleged abuse of office as its reason for calling for the head of Mr Tunji-Ojo.

Their letter read: “We have gathered evidence about a company owned by Minister Tunji Ojo, This payment was part of the N3bn awarded to several consultants for the National Social Register contract, which was intended for cash transfers and social investment programmes.

“The payments made to Minister Tunji Ojo’s company, New Planet Project, includes N279m for the verification of the list and an additional N159m for the same purpose. It is worth noting that the company, which was registered on March 3, 2009, with registration number 804833, has Minister Tunji Ojo and his wife, Abimbola, listed as directors, with Gbadamasi Clement as the company’s secretary.

“We strongly believe that Minister Tunji Ojo’s actions are in direct violation of the Nigerian Constitution and the Code of Conduct law. Sections 5 and 6 of the Code of Conduct law that clearly prohibit public officers from engaging in conflicts of interest and participating in any business other than farming. It is a known fact that a contract of this magnitude could not have been approved except by the Federal Executive Council Meeting of which Minister Tunji Ojo is a member.

“Minister Tunji Ojo, who knew he had an interest in the New Planet Project Limited, had deceived the Federal Executive Council into approving the contract for him without even informing the them that he is a shareholder in the said company. This is deceitful, mischievous and obtaining by false pretence."

Also, the party accused one Thalis Apalowo, the coordinator of the National Programme Manager for Grants for Vulnerable Groups, as a front for Mr Tunji-Ojo in securing the contract. It alleged that Mr Apalowo was a legislative assistant to the minister during the ninth House of Representatives and was part of Dr Betta Edu’s advance team that received a total of N2,515,000 daily travel allowance for five nights, flight tickets and airport taxis to Kogi State, which does not have an airport.