Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo: Tinubu's Minister with 3 Scandals

President Bola Tinubu's minister of the interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is considered the star boy of the new administration, owing to his numerous achievements in his first six months in office. Some of his significant successes in six months included clearing heavy passport backlogs and implementing a new platform to renew passports from the comfort of one's home, among others.

However, the minister, who was awarded "Public Service Person Of The Year 2023" by the Leadership newspaper and was recently rated as one of the 12 performing ministers of Tinubu by The Economic Confidential, has three major scandals in his record that many Nigerians may not be aware of two of them.

The scandals are listed below:

Betta Edu's scandal

The minister of interior was recently accused of getting an award of N438.1 million contract by the suspended minister of humanitarian and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu, through a company, New Planet Project Limited, allegedly owned by him.

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The company was accused of being paid N438.1 million for consultancy services by the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation under the suspended Betta Edu.

New Planet Project Limited was one of the many firms Edu engaged and awarded the N3 billion National Social Register contract.

In his reaction, the minister said he did not have the right to speak for the company because he was no longer part of its hierarchy.

In an interview, Tunji-Ojo said:

"I have no business with it. I am not involved in the day-to-day of the company. I do not pursue jobs for the company. I do not bid for the company. I do not run the company, I am not a signatory to the company's account."

Below is the video of his interview:

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NYSC certificate scandal

During his ministerial screening by the Senate, there were concerns about discrepancies in Tunji-Ojo's National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate raised by Sadiq Umar, the senator representing Kwara North.

The senator asked why the nominee had his NYSC scheme at 37, and his discharge certificate had a suspicious date.

However, Tunji-Ojo dismissed the lawmaker's concerns, stating that qualified NYSC members could participate in the scheme anytime after graduating as long as they graduated before the age of 30. He said such was his case.

In the NYSC certificate, the minister claimed to have participated in the national service between November 2019 and November 2020.

However, the senator's concerns were that the nominee performed his NYSC at a time when he was already a member of the House of Representatives.

Below is the certificate:

Akpabio vs House of Reps: Off your mic scandal

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Before he was appointed the minister, Tunji-Ojo was a member of the House of Representatives, representing the people of Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency of Ondo state

Many Nigerians did not know that the minister of interior was the infamous ex-chairman of the House of Representatives committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who clashed with the former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

Akpabio had appeared before the committee over the alleged mismanagement of funds in the commission.

At the hearing, which was televised, the now Senate president accused Tunji-Ojo and other national assembly members of getting contract awards from the NDDC.

Tunji-Ojo had denied the allegation and challenged Akpabio to make evidence available.

Below is the video of the interview:

CCB speaks on inviting Tunji-Ojo for questioning

Legit.ng earlier reported that Tunji-Ojo was said to have requested another date to appear before the Code of Conduct Bureau for questioning.

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The development was contrary to initial claims the minister shunned the bureau that had invited him for interrogation over the N438m contract scandal.

A leaked memo showed that a firm linked to the minister was awarded the N438m contract for a consultancy fee by the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu.

Source: Legit.ng