The Young Progressive Party (YPP), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over his alleged involvement in the scandalous contract at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The party threatened that failure to suspend Tunji-Ojo within 48 hours, it would mobilise youths across the country to shut down Abuja on Monday, 15th January, 2024.
The threat was made in an open letter addressed to President Tinubu on Tuesday night and signed by the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Emmanuel Bishop Amakiri.
The party cited an alleged “abuse of office” as its reason for calling for the dismissal of Tunji-Ojo.
“We have gathered evidence that a company owned by Minister Tunji Ojo, New Planet Project Limited, was paid a total of N438.1 million by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under the leadership of Dr. Betta Edu, for consultancy services.
“This payment was part of the N3 billion awarded to several consultants for the National Social Register contract, which was intended for cash transfers and social investment programs.
“The payments made to Minister Tunji Ojo’s company, New Planet Project Limited, include N279 million for the verification of the list and an additional N159 million 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 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 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 FEC that he is a shareholder in the said company; this is deceitful, mischievous and obtaining by false pretence”, the letter reads in part.
The party said one Thalis Apalowo, the Coordinator of the National Programme Manager for Grants for Vulnerable Groups, served as a middleman in securing the contract for Tunji-Ojo.
It further said Apalowo was a Legislative Assistant to Hon. Tunji-Ojo during the 9th House of Representatives and that he was part of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Betta Edu’s advance team “that received a total of N2,515,000 for DTA (Daily Travel Allowance) for five nights, local running expenses at 30% of DTA, flight tickets, and airport taxis to Kogi State, which does not have an airport”.
Recall that the contract for verifying beneficiaries in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation’s empowerment programs was awarded to a company owned by Hon. Tunji-Ojo. However, the Interior Minister clarified that he relinquished ownership of the company, New Planet Project Limited, in 2019 upon winning election to the House of Representatives.
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