President Bola Tinubu has reportedly summoned the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to provide clarification on his alleged involvement in the controversial N438 million contract scandal tied to the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
News About Nigeria gathered that the summons occurred on Tuesday, with the expectation that Tunji-Ojo would shed light on his role in the contract awarded to New Planet Project Limited, a company with reported links to him.
In response to the unfolding situation, Tunji-Ojo has said that he is not connected to the N585 million fraud allegations levelled against Minister Betta Edu.
The controversy revolves around a company purportedly owned by Tunji-Ojo, which allegedly received N438 million as ‘consultancy fees’ from the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
Denying any association with the company, Tunji-Ojo stated that he is not a signatory to it and, therefore, bears no connection to the contract allegations involving the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Betta Edu.
He made these clarifications during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The company in question, New Planet Project Limited, was allegedly employed by Betta Edu for fraudulent activities and was among the consultants awarded contracts worth N3 billion by the suspended minister for the National Social Register project.
Betta Edu is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for directing the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, to transfer public funds to a private account belonging to one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister.
In response to these allegations, President Bola Tinubu suspended Betta Edu on Monday, ordering an investigation into the reported fraudulent activities.
She is expected to face interrogation by the EFCC today in connection with the ongoing investigation.
