Minister Tunji-Ojo Skips Code of Conduct Bureau Appearance, Seeks Postponement

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has communicated to the Nigerian Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) that he will not be able to attend the scheduled questioning on Tuesday regarding his alleged involvement with New Planet Projects Limited. The company is under scrutiny for receiving an N438 million consultancy contract from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

It was disclosed on Monday that the CCB had invited the minister for an inquiry, but he cited official duties as the reason for his inability to appear on the specified date. Tunji-Ojo has officially requested the CCB authorities to reschedule the meeting and inform his team of the new date.

On January 8, SaharaReporters had exposed that New Planet Project Limited, linked to the minister, received a total of N438.1 million from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for consultancy services. The funds were part of the N3 billion in contracts awarded by the suspended minister, Betta Edu, for the National Social Register contract.

Documents obtained by SK blog revealed that Tunji-Ojo’s New Planet Project Limited initially received N279 million for list verification and an additional N159 million for the same purpose. The company, registered on March 3, 2009, lists the interior minister and his wife, Abimbola, as directors, with Gbadamasi Gbadamasi Clement as the secretary.

These actions, however, are being questioned for their potential violation of the Nigerian constitution and the Code of Conduct law, particularly sections 5 and 6, which prohibit public officers from engaging in conflicts of interest and participating in businesses other than farming.

Additionally, the Network for Growth and Actualization of Viable Development (NEFGAD), a public procurement advocacy group, has challenged Tunji-Ojo’s defense against his involvement in the controversial N3 billion contracts awarded by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The minister denies personally benefiting from the alleged controversial N3 billion social register contracts.