Scandal: Controversy over Ministry Contract Payments

A company owned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, was paid a total of N438.1 million by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under Betta Edu for consultancy services.

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.

The action is against the Nigerian Constitution and Code of Conduct law, which bars public officers from putting themselves in positions of conflict of interest and prohibits them from participating in any business other than farming.

Other beneficiaries of the N3 billion contract include Fabunmi Olanipekun & Co., Vintsolve Global Consult, Periscope Consulting, Blue Trend Enterprise, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services, Memak Nigeria Limited, MC Van Management Consult Limited, and Danzinger Nigeria Limited.

A source told SaharaReporters that the interior minister may have obtained the contract through his former aide and coordinator of the National Programme Manager, Grant For Vulnerable Groups, Thalis Apalowo.

Apalowo served as legislative aide to Tunji-Ojo while representing Akoko North Federal constituency at the National Assembly. He received N2,515,000 for DTA for five nights, local running @30% of DTA, for flight tickets and airport taxis to Kogi, a state with no airport.

President Tinubu suspended Edu and ordered an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities of the minister.