The Young Progressive Party (YPP) has intensified pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following his alleged involvement in a scandalous contract at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu on Tuesday night, the National Chairman of the YPP, Comrade Emmanuel Bishop Amakiri, cited “abuse of office” as the reason for demanding Tunji-Ojo’s suspension.
YPP claims that failure to suspend the minister within 48 hours will lead to nationwide protests and a shutdown of Abuja on Monday, January 15, 2024.
The YPP alleges that a company owned by Minister Tunji-Ojo, New Planet Project Limited, received a total of N438.1 million from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for consultancy services related to the National Social Register contract.
The party asserts that this payment constitutes a conflict of interest, as Minister Tunji-Ojo and his wife are listed as directors of the company.
Furthermore, the YPP accuses Thalis Apalowo, the Coordinator of the National Programme Manager for Grants for Vulnerable Groups, of acting as a frontman for Tunji-Ojo in securing the contract.
The party claims that Apalowo, a former Legislative Assistant to Hon. Tunji-Ojo, was part of a team that received questionable allowances for a trip to Kogi State.
The YPP is calling for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the alleged misconduct, urging President Tinubu to initiate appropriate legal actions against Minister Tunji-Ojo to serve as a deterrent to others.
In response to these allegations, Minister Tunji-Ojo has clarified that he resigned from the ownership of New Planet Project Limited in 2019 when he was elected into the House of Representatives.
The unfolding scandal has sparked intense debate and scrutiny, raising concerns about transparency and ethical conduct within Nigeria’s government.
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