The Coalition of Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability has given the Minister of Interior, Mr. Olabunmi Tunji-Ojo 48 hours to resign over his alleged involvement in the over N3 billion fraud in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The coalition issued the ultimatum in a statement signed by its convener, Comrade Kabir Matazu, and made available to journalists on Tuesday.
Matazu stated that the coalition was deeply concerned by revelations regarding the minister’s alleged involvement in “massive corruption, looting of the resources and operating a company, against the Code of Conduct for Public Officers”.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the minister admitted that he was still a shareholder in New Planet Project Limited, a company that was paid N438.1 million by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under his suspended colleague, Betta Edu, for consultancy services.
Observerstimes recall how SaharaReporters on Monday reported that a company, New Planet Project Limited, was one of the numerous consultants awarded contracts from the N3 billion given out by the suspended minister for the National Social Register contract.
The social register was created for cash transfers and other social investment programmes.
In a document posted by the editor of a media platform, Pointblank News, Jackson Ude, Tunji-Ojo’s New Planet Project Limited was initially paid N279 million for verification of the list and another N159 million for the same purpose.
An independent check by SaharaReporters revealed that the firm has the interior minister and his wife, Abimbola as directors.
One Gbadamasi Gbadamasi Clement is also listed as the secretary of the company which was registered on March 3, 2009, with registration number 804833.
The action is however against the Nigerian Constitution and Code of Conduct law.
The coalition in the statement said, “The conduct of the Hon. Minister of Interior is disheartening and runs contrary to the Code of Conduct for public officers in Nigeria, which strictly prohibits the ownership and operation of private businesses while holding public office, except for agricultural and farming ventures.
“We in the the Coalition of Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability express our profound dissatisfaction with the emerging revelations within the Federal Cabinet.
“It has become increasingly apparent that certain members of the cabinet are not aligned with the President’s commitment to fostering accountability and fiscal discipline in government.
“Consequently, we unequivocally demand Olabunmi Tunji-Ojo’s immediate resignation within 48 hours in order to give room for open and transparent investigations into the alleged improprieties committed by him and the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
“In light of these distressing developments, the Coalition hereby issues a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister Tunji-Ojo to tender his resignation from office.
“Failure to comply will prompt Nigerians to exercise their democratic rights through mass protests, voicing our discontent with the distressing disclosures originating from the President’s Cabinet.
“The Coalition urges all stakeholders and concerned citizens to join hands in upholding transparency, ethical standard and adherence to established norms of public service with integrity.
“It is imperative that corrective actions are taken swiftly to restore public trust and safeguard the integrity of government institutions.
“Finally, we cannot fold our hands and watch Nigerian resources being pillaged and plundered by vultures and economic vampires who found their way into public office.”
