Will Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo Keep His Job … As Many Want Him Out of the Government

Intentions are the spirits behind everything. To judge a decision or action correctly, the intention behind it must be evaluated. Applying this understanding to the storm ravaging the reputation of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, one can see that the intentions behind the call to have him fired from his present position are not altogether pure.

It has been a while now since Tunji-Ojo fell in the eyes of some Nigerians. Perhaps because he was highly celebrated just before the whistle was blown, Tunji-Ojo’s reputation took a strong hit. At present, this hit threatens to see him ushered out of office disgracefully. But whether this campaign will bear fruit is still uncertain.

To refresh the minds of readers regarding the troubles of Tunji-Ojo: the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Betta Edu, was found to have directed the transfer of state funds to a private account. While the winds of accusation and suspicions were still blowing, it was found that Tunji-Ojo has closer ties with Dr. Edu than the occasional ministerial handshake.

Apparently, Edu once awarded a contract worth N438.1 million to a company called New Planet Project Limited. The company was discovered to have been founded by Tunji-Ojo, suggesting that Edu’s decision to award it a N438.1 million contract was not coincidental at all. Social commentators alleged that it was Edu’s way of thanking Tunji-Ojo for showing her the ropes of fund misappropriation.

Since then, Tunji-Ojo has been in a pot of boiling soup. Defending Edu’s actions, Tunji-Ojo said that there was no conflict of interest because he retired from the company in 2019, long before he took on the position of Interior Minister. But he is still a major stakeholder there, along with his wife, so his defence only inflamed and inspired his detractors.

Currently, the calls that Tunji-Ojo be removed from the ministerial office are louder than ever. But any observant person can tell that there is more to this campaign than simple disappointment at Tunji-Ojo’s ‘irresponsible’ oversight. But time will tell the nature and authors of these campaigns.