The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has denied involvement in the N438.1 million consultancy contract between New Planet Project Limited and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

The PUNCH reports that President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, directed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, to investigate all financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Dr Betta Edu was the minister in charge of the ministry until the President suspended her on Monday.

The PUNCH reports that Edu came under criticism after a leaked memo on December 20, 2023, revealed that she directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585m to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups.

However, some sections of the media report that a company owned by the Minister of Interior was allegedly paid N438.1 million by Edu as consultancy services.

“The company, New Planet Project Limited was one of the numerous consultants awarded contracts from N3 billion given out by the suspended minister for the National Social Register contract,” it stated.

Reacting, Tunji-Ojo while appearing on Channels TV Politics Today, on Monday night revealed that he founded the company 10 years ago, but resigned from directorship in 2019 when he contested for House of Representatives.

The Minister of Interior, who described the report as shocking, said he is just a shareholder in the company and not involved in the day-to-day running of New Planet Project Limited.

He said “I have to say this, I saw it and I was shocked because the company in question was a company, where I was the director.

“About five years ago, I had resigned my directorship. Yes, I founded the company 10 years ago. In 2019 and when I got to the House of Representatives, when I won the election precisely, I resigned. I resigned 4th of February 2019 with a Certified True Copy of Corporate Affairs Commission as far back as 2019 to prove this.”

Tunji-Ojo, who said he came into public office knowing fully well that Nigerians would ask questions, charged relevant agencies to probe the contract processes.

He added, “I do not run the company. I don’t have any knowledge of the contract. I am not a signatory to any account. I am not a director of the company.

“The company is a limited liability company, which is a private entity. So if the company is a private entity, of course, I am still a shareholder, and to the best of my knowledge public service rule does not prohibit public officers from being shareholders.

“What public service rule says is that you cannot be a director, of which I had resigned about five years ago.

“I have no business with it, absolutely no business. Because I am not involved in the day-to-day running of the company. I do not pursue jobs for the company. I do not bid for the company. I am not a signatory to the company’s account. I am not involved.

“So the company is an entity on its own. If then, the question should be was the job given to the company? If the answer is yes. Then the question is did they follow due process? It is a yes. Did the company deliver on the job? If it’s a yes. Then number three is that they did deliver in line with the agreement of the contract? If it is a no, then they should be sanctioned by the book”.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/betta-edu-im-not-involved-in-n438m-million-contract-interior-minister/%3famp

The biggest shareholder you mean


Then you are culpable

Kindly throw in the towel now and submit yourself at the nearest EFCC office

Baba, just focus and leave detractors and blackmailers, they must be stupid to think they could bring down every performing minister as they did Betta. By the time DSS starts picking them up one after another, they'd be alright.

-kiss the truth!

Well i wish this man escapes .. but Tinubu will crush him soon

Another challenge...

Did he resigned as shareholder before taking government appointment? If not he is culpriable too. Paddy paddy government.

Thief
Shareholders are the owners of a company and beneficiaries of whatever profits they make

So this is true after all

Paddy paddy govt

Breeze go blow all una yansh open like a fowl yans

When you are an Active public office holder, Never you award a contract or even allow your Company to bid for a Contract.......The Grasscutter man tried this with Buhari and he was caught and Fired!!!

TimeManager:
Baba, just focus and leave detractors and blackmailers, they must be stupid to think they could bring down every performing minister as they did Betta. By the time DSS starts picking them up one after another, they'd be alright.

-kiss truth!

See them,you guys are programmed like a zombie to support anything evil

Moral of the story, Nobody is clean in this government.Nobody is clean even in Nigeria

Tunji Ojo Too. All this young men and Ladies politicians are seriously sick in their forehead's. How can you, early,play the card of desperados in the cult of kleptomaniac in a society where everyone is projected to be Hungry and Angry. And why should you compromise standards. Since you know how to collect contract , why join them in their cult war on the table. U fall hand Egbon!

This doesn't look good at all whether or not he is a shareholder or director.

If you guys are going to be so corrupt, and you are not the only ones, must it be so bazen PDP style?

A clear Conflict of interest scenario, please go.

Lol

aswani:
This doesn't look good at all whether or not he is a shareholder or director.

If you guys are going to be so corrupt, and you are not the only ones, must it be so bazen PDP style?

A clear Conflict of interest scenario, please go.

Lmao

You guys should go and sit down with your malicious intent if you can not point to a part of the constitution he breached.

Bobloco:
The biggest shareholder

Did you read where he said he had resigned his directorship in 2019 (with proper documentations) and do not pursue jobs for the company neither is he a signatory to any document?

I'm very sure you saw that part but una agenda must agend.

A shareholder benefits directly from the profit of the everyday business of a company. As long as you're in government, and the company you claim to be a shareholder in makes money from govt contracts, you're still culpable. Ignorance in law is not an excuse, there is inherent conflict of interest.

aswani:
This doesn't look good at all whether or not he is a shareholder or director.

If you guys are going to be so corrupt, and you are not the only ones, must it be so bazen PDP style?

A clear Conflict of interest scenario, please go.

He did not award the contract to his own company.
So, tell us what doesn't look good or illegal about that.
After all awarding contract to your own company is the norm e.g Lagos Alpha Beta
and also Umahi's various road project to his company while a governor.

Racoon:
Did he resigned as shareholder before taking government appointment? If not he is culpriable too. Paddy paddy government.

Why should he resign as a shareholder.
Is there a law barring all public office holders from owning fully or part of a private company?

Fire him too

A company you founded and in which you continue to be shareholder secured a huge contract from another ministry in the same Government in which you are currently serving as a minister

And your defense is ... oh, but I am no longer a Director of the company, I am only a shareholder

As a shareholder, you are a beneficiary of the contract. That is the koko. Whether or not you're a director is irrelevant. This is not allowed anywhere, exceptmay be Nigeria. It is a straight forward sacking offence.

Is the Minister saying that if he finds that the permanent secretary in his ministry got a large contract from the ministry through a company the PS owns with perhaps his wife, the Minister will say, ah well, since the PS is only a shareholder and not a director, everything is fine?

Foreign observers must be laughing their heads off at this, or more appropriately shaking their heads in disgust at the level of insane corruption in Nigeria.

Has the Minister never had of conflict of interest and abuse of office.

And how on earth can he say he was not aware the company bid for the contract. He must think Nigerians are fools.

If this matter is investigated properly, and the government is truly serious, this man will be gone with Ms Edu and the other lady. No ifs, no buts.

Racoon:
Did he resigned as shareholder before taking government appointment? If not he is culpriable too. Paddy paddy government.

You read clearly where he said he resigned five years ago and you’re still asking this silly question. He even brought the company resulting endorsing his resignation and the certified true copy of his CAC document accepting his removal as director of the company since 2019 to the program. So, what else are you looking for?

DeLaRue:
A company you founded and in which you continue to be shareholder secured a huge contract from another ministry in the same Government in which you are currently serving as a minister

And your defense is ... oh, but I am no longer a Director of the company, I am only a shareholder

As a shareholder, you are a beneficiary of the contract. That is the koko. Whether or not you're a director is irrelevant. This is not allowed anywhere, exceptmay be Nigeria. It is a straight forward sacking offence.

Is the Minister saying that if he finds that the permanent secretary in his ministry got a large contract from the ministry through a company the PS owns with perhaps his wife, the Minister will say, ah well, since the PS is only a shareholder and not a director, everything is fine?

Foreign observers must be laughing their heads off at this, or more appropriately shaking their heads in disgust at the level of insane corruption in Nigeria.

Has the Minister never had of conflict of interest and abuse of office.

And how on earth can he say he was not aware the company bid for the contract. He must think Nigerians are fools.

If this matter is investigated properly, and the government is truly serious, this man will be gone with Ms Edu and the other lady. No ifs, no buts.

It sounds fishy but when you say NOT ALLOWED

You need to educate us

NO LAW NO CRIME
Has he broken any rules
If he has not should we be making new rules to clarify things ?? Maybe

Is there a law that you can cite in Nigeria or any other country that outlaws this today??

Your analogy of permanent secretary is off key because that would be a direct conflict of interest

Being in the same government is not enough unless there is a demonstrated conflict of interest. or evidence that he influenced the award of the contract

If a lawyer becomes an Attorney general or Minister like Keyamo does that mean his Firm is no longer entitled to government work? It may sound fishy but what is needed is explicit rules not online moralizing


What is important here is to ask questions about the naturre of the contract and whether it was executed properly

A contract is not a sin or something dirty

When Tony Blair was Prime Minister. His wife was a Barrister getting government briefs. Was she to cease that because her Husband was Prime Minister

The real questions are was the contract thrown open to the public properly and did the government get value for the money paid out?

DeLaRue:
A company you founded and in which you continue to be shareholder secured a huge contract from another ministry in the same Government in which you are currently serving as a minister

And your defense is ... oh, but I am no longer a Director of the company, I am only a shareholder

As a shareholder, you are a beneficiary of the contract. That is the koko. Whether or not you're a director is irrelevant. This is not allowed anywhere, exceptmay be Nigeria. It is a straight forward sacking offence.

Is the Minister saying that if he finds that the permanent secretary in his ministry got a large contract from the ministry through a company the PS owns with perhaps his wife, the Minister will say, ah well, since the PS is only a shareholder and not a director, everything is fine?

Foreign observers must be laughing their heads off at this, or more appropriately shaking their heads in disgust at the level of insane corruption in Nigeria.

Has the Minister never had of conflict of interest and abuse of office.

And how on earth can he say he was not aware the company bid for the contract. He must think Nigerians are fools.

If this matter is investigated properly, and the government is truly serious, this man will be gone with Ms Edu and the other lady. No ifs, no buts.

The part in bold is not allowed because it brings conflict of interest. The permanent Secretary is the chairman of the ministry’s tenders board so if a company he’s a shareholder of bids for contract in that same ministry, he will have to disclose it in line with public procurement act and recuse himself as the chairman of the tenders board because of conflict of interest. Again, PS are civil servants who rise from service. They are ordinarily not expected to own companies even though they can buy shares in public limited liability companies.

Political office holders are elected or appointed. The law recognizes that they were doing something before their appointment or election so they simply require them to step aside from the management of whatever business they were doing before. The law does not require the business to die or stop operating because the founder is now a political office again.


Again, Peter Obi was a shareholder in Fidelity bank before becoming governor. He did not sell his shares in fidelity bank and the bank kept doing business with Anambra state government throughout his tenure. He even brought in directors from the bank to serve as commissioners and later governor of the state. Atiku Abubakar was the largest shareholder in Intels in 1999. When he was elected as Vice President, Atiku did not sell his shares at Intels and the company worked for Federal government for the 8 years that Atiku was the vice president. So, what’s all the noise this time around? Did foreigners laugh at us when Peter Obi was investing state funds in family business?

Finally, the company in question is a legal entity distinct from the minister. The minister is the minister for interior and not the minister for humanitarian affairs. The minister for interior is not involved whatsoever in the procurement process of ministry of humanitarian affairs so there is no conflict of interest whatsoever. The company has the right to exist and do business legally with government agencies under the public procurement act in as much as no conflict of interest is involved in the process.

seunmsg:


You read clearly where he said he resigned five years ago and you’re still asking this silly question. He even brought the company resulting endorsing his resignation and the certified true copy of his CAC document accepting his removal as director of the company since 2019 to the program. So, what else are you looking for?

Kadoso Mutairu!

Resign as shareholder you dey hear yourselves enemies of Nigeria.

Na only destitute people una expect to be running the country.

We want captains of industry who understand what is going on.

Racoon:
Did he resigned as shareholder before taking government appointment? If not he is culpriable too. Paddy paddy government.

The wife is the director.

Ok

Woe unto all the enemies of the federal republic of Nigeria 🇳🇬.... Nigeria will be great!

Correct Man

Nobody holy pass. Look into my eyes and tell u holy. These our leaders fear God, not to talk of anybody