Betta Edu saga: PDP demands suspension, investigation of Tunji-Ojo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to suspend Bunmi Tunji-Ojo as minister of interior.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, asked Tinubu to “immediately” order an investigation and possible prosecution of the minister.

The main opposition party alleged that Tunji-Ojo is involved in the recent controversy in the award of contracts at the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation

A leaked document showed that New Planet Project Limited, a company founded by Tunji-Ojo, got a N438 million consultancy contract from the ministry.

Denying any wrongdoing, the minister said he resigned from the company in February 2019 when he was elected as a lawmaker in the house of representatives.

The minister said he is no longer one of the directors of the company but admitted that he is still a shareholder.

On Monday, Betta Edu was suspended as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation over the controversy.

The PDP said Tunji-Ojo made a “lame excuse” by “claiming” that he has no interest in the company “despite his confession of owning huge shares in the firm”.

“The Party describes as inexcusable that the two ministers directly entrusted with the wellbeing of Nigerians reportedly used a company in which the Minister of Interior has a huge interest to allegedly siphon funds meant for poor Nigerians under the guise of consultancy fee for unsubstantiated verification of households in the country,” the statement reads.

The PDP said the “only way” Tinubu can reassure Nigerians is to immediately relieve the minister of his appointment and allow for an independent inquiry into the disbursement of the N438 million.