Toba Owojaiye reportingÂ
Benin, Edo state
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has vehemently denied any association with the N438.1 million consultancy contract recently awarded to New Planet Project Limited by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Truth Live News gathered that the controversy surrounding the contract reached new heights after President Bola Tinubu instructed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe financial transactions linked to the ministry. Former minister Dr. Betta Edu, suspended earlier in the week, faced scrutiny over a leaked memo directing the transfer of N585 million to a private account.
Media reports hinted at a potential connection between Minister Tunji-Ojo and payments received by a company associated with Edu’s ministry. Responding to these allegations, Tunji-Ojo clarified that he founded New Planet Project Limited a decade ago and resigned from directorship in 2019 when he contested for the House of Representatives.
“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,” Tunji-Ojo stated, supporting his claim with a Certified True Copy of Corporate Affairs Commission records from 2019.
Emphasizing his detachment from the company’s day-to-day operations, Tunji-Ojo asserted, “I do not run the company. I don’t have any knowledge of the contract. I am not a signatory to any account. I am not a director of the company.” Despite remaining a shareholder, he highlighted that public service rules don’t prohibit officers from holding shares.
In response to concerns, Tunji-Ojo urged relevant agencies to scrutinize the contract processes. “The company is an entity on its own. If then, the question should be was the job given to the company? If the answer is yes. Then the question is did they follow due process? It is a yes. Did the company deliver on the job? If it’s a yes. Then number three is that they did deliver in line with the agreement of the contract? If it is a no, then they should be sanctioned by the book,” he stated.
