CCB summons Tunji-Ojo over N438m contract involving alleged conflict of interest
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Bunmi Tunji-Ojo has been invited by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to explain his role in the N438 million contract Betta Edu awarded to New Planet Projects, a company in which the Interior Minister is a shareholder.
Edu is on suspension as Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development Minister over her attempt to get N585 million poverty fight fund transferred into a private account.
She has been interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Tunji-Ojo has had a meeting with President Bola Tinubu who has set up a panel to investigate the sleaze now dubbed EduGate.
The consultancy job awarded to New Planet Projects is part of the ongoing probe of a total suspicious N3 billion spending by the ministry under Betta Edu’s watch.
Tunji-Ojo has admitted on national television he was a Director in the firm, resigned in 2019 when he joined politics, but remains a shareholder. Reports said his wife is now in charge of the company.
The CCB summoned him on Monday to come and show proof he is no longer involved in the activities of New Planet Projects and is also expected to review his asset declaration form with investigators.
It was learnt his invitation might have been informed by a security report which spotted “influence peddling” for the company.
Apologists for Tunji-Ojo argue the Code of Conduct Act allows a public officer to be a shareholder in a company.
Nonetheless, the letter inviting him, written a by CCB Director of Investigation and Monitoring Gwimi S.P on behalf of Chairman Murtala Aliyu, said the invitation is in line with the Bureau’s mandate and powers in the Third Schedule, Part 1, 3 (e) of the Constitution.
“The Bureau is investigating a case of alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in which your name featured prominently. Consequently, you are invited for an interview scheduled as follows:
”Date: Tuesday, 16th January, 2024. Time: 1100hrs prompt. Venue: CCB Headquarters on 5th Floor, Annex III, Phase I, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja,” the letter said in part.
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Alleged conflict of interest
“Following alleged conflict of interest and violation of the Code of Conduct Act, the CCB has asked the Minister to appear before it for some clarifications with its investigation and monitoring desk,” an inside source told The Nation.
“The team will review his Asset Declaration Form, raise issues about his relationship with New Planet Projects Limited and reconcile what he has sworn to on oath with a few allegations.
“It is just to ascertain whether or not he has complied with his oath of office and allegiance.
“It is a routine procedure when there are issues in the public space against a public officer. Invitation does not mean the Minister is already guilty. At the appropriate time, we will release the outcome of our interaction with the Minister.”
Another source claimed the CCB is in receipt of a security report on Tunji-Ojo and “the CCB will isolate some areas in the security report, especially alleged influence peddling, for the Minister to clear the air.”
An associate of Tunji-Ojo who has been part of his career, insisted “The invitation by the Code of Conduct Bureau is largely to establish the fact that he duly resigned his directorship of the company as he clearly indicated his interest in the said company in his asset declaration form both in 2019 and 2023.
“The position of the law is that he didn’t commit any offence having duly resigned his directorship of the company.
“The said company had also carried [out] similar jobs for the same ministry in 2016 and 2018. That might have influenced the award of the job to the company.
“Also, it is understandable that the cabals he has displaced to bring fresh air into the Ministry of Interior will be ready to fuel any strand to oust him for their own interest…His performance in office has been intimidating some influential people.”
But one of the knotty issues Tunji-Ojo may clear with the CCB is his retention as a shareholder in New Planet Projects after resigning as a Director and now serves as a Minister.
“The CCB will find out if the Minister has violated Federal Government Public Service Rules or not. Many Nigerians do not know that there are rules guiding the engagement of all public officers, especially when it comes to investment,” a source explained.
But an ally of Tunji-Ojo cited Rule 030424 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules, which says:
“Public officers are not prohibited from holding shares in both public and private companies operating in Nigeria or abroad except that they must not be Directors in private companies and may only be Directors in public companies if nominated by Government.”
