1. It is no longer news that Dr. Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, was involved in the sharing of N3bn within the space of one month from the account of National Social Investment Authority, an agency under her supervision. It is also no longer news that she was fingered in transferring a whopping N585 million into the personal account one Bridget Oniyelu from the agency’s account.
2. A leaked document revealed that New Planet Projects Ltd, a company owned by the minister of interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and his wife, was paid the sum of N438 million from the controversial N3 billion disbursement by the Dr. Edu for Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) contract.
3. What is more intriguing is that the National Programme Manager for Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG), was a legislative aide of the minister of interior, Hon. Tunji-Ojo, when he (Tunji-Ojo) was a member of the House of Representatives.
4. In other words, the private company of Hon. Tunji-Ojo, a minister in a government, was paid a N438 million as contractual sum by a Betta Edu, a minister of the same government. The Grant for Vulnerable Groups scheme, which the payment was made for, has a former aide of Minister Tunji-Ojo as its National Programme Manager.
5. It is very obvious that there is a case of suspected foul play. Moreso, there is breach of the laws of the country, especially the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
6. To unravel the whole matter holistically, Hon. Tunji-Ojo needs to step aside as the minister of interior, to allow for thorough investigation. He should resign voluntarily and submit himself for questioning (if he is a honorable man) or be suspended by President Tinubu – just like the case of Halima Shehu and Dr. Betta Edu.
7. I understand that some people are ‘praising’ Minister Tunji-Ojo for his “works” as interior minister, but nobody should be above the law irrespective.
8. It could be recalled that the Police under Tafa Balogun was doing great in crime fighting when he was the Inspector General of Police, yet it didn’t stop President Olusegun Obasanjo from arresting, suspending and prosecuting him for financial misappropriation when his misdeeds were exposed.