Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo Admits Ties To Company In N438m Betta Edu Scandal, Says He Quit Company To Take Public Office

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has admitted to founding the New Planet Project Limited company that allegedly received N438.1 million for consultancy services  from the N3 billion social register contract awarded by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, Tunji-Ojo said “Yes, “I and my wife founded the company 15 years years ago. Well, in 2019, when I got to the House of Representatives, when I won election precisely, I made a change,” he said.

“I had resigned as director of the company to hold office.” The minister said he is only a shareholder of the company which is not in violation of the law.

“Of course, and to the best of my knowledge, the public service rule does not prohibit public officers from being shareholders,” Olubunmi said.

The Minister presented incorporation documents showing he resigned as a director of New Planet Project Limited in February 2019, one year before he was appointed as Minister. “I’m not a director, I’m no longer as of 2019,” he stated.

However, Tunji-Ojo distanced himself from the N438 million payment, saying he is not a signatory to the company’s accounts and has no knowledge of its day-to-day activities. “I’m not involved in what the company is doing,” he said.

Responding to allegations he used his office to secure contracts for his company, the Minister firmly denied any conflict of interest. “I never did that. That will be abuse of office,” he said.

The payment is part of a wider investigation into allegations that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs awarded contracts worth N3 billion for a social welfare program under the watch of the recently suspended Minister, Betta Edu.

The social register was created for cash transfers and other social investment programmes.

In a document posted by the editor of a media platform, Pointblank News, Jackson Ude, Tunji-Ojo’s New Planet Project Limited was initially paid N279 million for verification of the list and another N159 million for the same purpose.

An independent check revealed that the firm has the interior minister and his wife, Abimbola as directors.

One Gbadamasi Gbadamasi Clement is also listed as the secretary of the company which was registered on March 3, 2009, with registration number 804833.

The action is however against the Nigerian Constitution and Code of Conduct law.

The Code of Conduct law, in sections 5 and 6, bars public officers from putting themselves in positions of conflict of interest and prevents them from partaking in any business other than farming.

Other beneficiaries of the N3 billion contract include Fabunmi Olanipekun & Co. which got N419.5 million. Vintsolve Global Consult was also paid N558.8 million.

Periscope Consulting got N277 million, Blue Trend Enterprise was N277.8 million, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services got N277 million, Memak Nigeria Limited was paid N277 million, MC Van Management Consult Limited got N275.8 million while Danzinger Nigeria Limited- N275.8 million.

“Other companies that benefitted from the N3billion contracts are: Blue Trend Enterprise-N277.8million.

“Blue trend, has no record of being registered and the owner is unknown. Periscope Consulting-N277million. Periscope Consulting, with registration number 1053019, registered on July 24, 2012, is owned by one Ngozi Maureen Ojiego, known for Interior Decoration. Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services Ltd-N277million.

“Laitop with registration number 1340092, is owned by one Quburat Bolanle Bolanta. It was registered on June 6, 2016. Memak Nigeria Limited with no known ownership and date of registration got NN277million.

“MC Van Management Consult Limited with no records of registration also got N275.8million contract while Danzinger Nigeria Limited with registration number 635448, registered on Sep 23, 2005got N275.8million. Danzinger is owned by one Oladapo Rotimi Mohammed.

“All the contractors claimed they verified 11 million homes in Nigeria under one month,” Ude stated in a Twitter post.

However, a source said that the interior minister may have got the contract through his former aide and coordinator of the National Programme Manager, Grant For Vulnerable Groups, Thalis Apalowo.

Apalowo served as legislative aide to Tunji-Ojo while he was representing Akoko North Federal constituency at the National Assembly.

“He was the one who lobbied for his appointment as coordinator of programme under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, he is his close aide,” the source said.