Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister-designate, resigns as rep

Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, a lawmaker representing Akoko north-east/north-west federal constituency, has resigned from the lower chamber.

Tunji-Ojo was one of 45 out of the 48 ministerial nominees confirmed by the senate.

On August 16, President Bola Tinubu assigned portfolios to the ministerial nominees.

Tunji-Ojo was initially assigned the portfolio of the minister of marine and blue economy.

But on Sunday, he was redeployed as the minister of interior.

The minister-designate will take the oath of office on Monday morning.

In a letter released on Sunday, Tunji-Ojo said his resignation from the lower chamber will enable him to contribute his quota to the development of the country.

“Our dear country is in dire need of collaborative and concerted efforts that would engender the much-needed advancement to greater heights and I have been appointed to contribute my quota to achieve that enviable objective as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the resignation letter reads.

Over the past few days, Tunji-Ojo has made the headlines over claims that he presented a controversial National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) certificate for his ministerial screening.

However, the upper legislative chamber cleared him.

In a statement, the Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), a group of human rights lawyers, said it was noble of the senate to ignore the alleged blackmail of the ministerial nominee.

In 2019, the ministerial nominee was first elected into the house of representatives.

He served as chairperson of the house committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC).