Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has been summoned to the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock by President Bola Tinubu.
The meeting, scheduled for the afternoon, comes amidst escalating public pressure surrounding an array of issues and alleged fraud around the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Though details of the meeting have not been made public, but speculations are rife that it may not be far from the controversial payment of N548 million by the a suspended minister, Betta Edu.
Tunji-Ojo’s company where he admitted to being a shareholder was mentioned in the controversial payments.
The summons of Tunji-Ojo casts a shadow of potential conflict of interest following the suspension of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, and revelations of a controversial consultancy contract.
Tunji-Ojo’s meeting with President Tinubu comes amidst the fallout from Edu’s suspension on Monday, triggered by allegations of financial irregularities and mismanagement within the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.
Notably, a leaked document revealing the award of a N438 million consultancy contract for the National Social Register to New New Planet Projects Ltd, a company in which Tunji-Ojo is a beneficiary.
This connection has raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest and could be a key topic of discussion during the closed-door meeting. While the official agenda remains confidential, the timing and context leave little doubt that the N438 million contract would be mentioned.
The scandal surrounding the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry has fueled public anger and calls for transparency in government contracts. President Tinubu’s swift action in suspending Edu and summoning Tunji-Ojo suggests a commitment to addressing these concerns.
