Tunji-Ojo represented Akoko North Federal constituency in Ondo State between 2009 and 2023 before he was appointed as interior minister by President Bola Tinubu.
The National Programme Manager, Grant for Vulnerable Groups under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Thalis Apalowo who was in charge of the N3 billion paid to numerous companies for consultancy services is a loyalist and former legislative aide of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Tunji-Ojo represented Akoko North Federal constituency in Ondo State between 2009 and 2023 before he was appointed as interior minister by President Bola Tinubu.
SaharaReporters had reported how Tunji-Ojo’s company was paid a total amount of N438.1 million by the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation ministry for consultancy services.
The company, New Planet Project Limited was one of the consultants awarded contracts from the N3 billion given out by suspended minister, Betta Edu for the National Social Register contract.
The was initially paid N279 million for verification of the list and another N159 million for the same purpose.
The Social Register verification is for vulnerable people living in the country. Apalowo heads the unit.
A check by SaharaReporters revealed that New Planet Project Limited 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.
A source in the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation ministry on Tuesday confirmed to SaharaReporters that Apalowo - a former legislative aide of Tunji-Ojo - was in charge of the consultancy contract.
“Apalowo was his former legislative aide whom he lobbied to be appointed as National Project Manager for the GVG under the humanitarian affairs ministry which gave the consultancy job,” the source said.
“Most Nigerians don’t know that this National Project Manager for the Grants of Vulnerable Group, Thalis Olonite Apalowo served as his (Tunji-Ojo) former legislative aide. And it’s the same NPM that is in charge of the consultancy contract which the minister’s company got.”
Another source said, “He lobbied the appointment for his former legislative aide, Thalis Olonite Apalowo as National Project Manager for the GVG. The same Apalowo was one of the delegates listed to travel by air from Abuja to the unknown Kogi Airport.”
A further check on Apalowo’s Facebook page showed he has the photograph of the interior minister as his profile picture.
He was also seen in many pictures wearing the campaign attire of Tunji-Ojo.
Apalowo was one of the suspended humanitarian affairs minister’s advanced team members listed to N2,515,000 for DTA for five nights, local running @30% of DTA, flight tickets and airport taxis to Kogi — a state with no airport
SaharaReporters learnt that Tunji-Ojo’s action is against the Nigerian Constitution and Code of Conduct law.
The Code of Conduct law, in sections 5 and 6, bars public officers from putting themselves in positions of conflict of interest and prevents them from partaking in any business other than farming.
Other beneficiaries of the N3 billion contract include Fabunmi Olanipekun & Co. which got N419.5 million. Vintsolve Global Consult was also paid N558.8 million.
Periscope Consulting got N277 million, Blue Trend Enterprise was N277.8 million, Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services got N277 million, Memak Nigeria Limited was paid N277 million, MC Van Management Consult Limited got N275.8 million while Danzinger Nigeria Limited- N275.8 million.
SaharaReporters had reported how Edu asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to send public funds to a private account which belonged to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister.
The minister had approved that N585,198,500.00 should be disbursed into a personal account.
SaharaReporters also reported on Sunday that her ministry approved funds for flight tickets and airport taxis for her team from Abuja to Kogi State, even though the latter has no airport.
President Tinubu on Monday suspended Edu and ordered an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities of the minister.