Amid the recent strident media campaign calling for the sack of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups in Nigerian has thrown its weight solidly behind the Minister, describing him as one of the best-performing cabinet ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the esteemed leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a press statement signed by its Secretary General, Com. Osabinu Olufemi, the Coalition observed that the sinister plot against Tunji-Ojo is being hatched in the media by an amorphous clandestine cabal using pseudonyms and phantom organizations, with the aim of mounting concerted pressures on President Tinubu to sack the minister over spurious allegations of financial impropriety and breach of trust.
The Coalition further stated that knowing they have no legal or moral basis to crucify Hon. Tunji-Ojo on account of his stewardship to the nation, his detractors elected to link him up with the embattled suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, over a contract awarded by her ministry to a company in which Tunji-Ojo is currently a mere shareholder.
“While we frown at the calculated attempt to ridicule Tunji-Ojo’s tireless efforts to serve the nation and contribute his decent quota towards improving the overall security and well-being of Nigerians, we must state that we are not attempting to save his job as a cabinet minister because his job is not actually under threat. Given the personality, integrity and experience of Mr. President, we know he cannot be swayed by the mendacities and sentiments of Tunji-Ojo’s masquerading traducers” stated the Coalition.
The Coalition, which noted that Tunji-Ojo’s enemies were using the media space to lower his estimation before right-thinking members of the public, stated that it wishes to set the record straight and forestall further attempts by mischievous shadow elements to mislead the Nigerian public by disparaging honest, hardworking and progressive public office holders.
In the statement, Com. Osabinu, who was a former President of Nigeria’s apex student body, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), further urged President Bola Tinubu to ignore the barrage of unfounded allegations against Tunji-Ojo by his desperate enemies, while encouraging the Honourable Minister to equally disregard his detractors and remain focused and steadfast in serving the nation as a cabinet minister, and in any other existing capacity, even as they assured him of their staunch support and solidarity.
“He should rest assured that our coalition, along with countless other Nigerians that are aware of his assiduous efforts and contributions to national development, are solidly behind him,” stated Com. Osabinu.
“In any case, if the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation had actually issued a contract to a company in which Hon. Tunji-Ojo is an ordinary shareholder, should the focus not be on the due process and transparency in the award of the contract by the ministry, and its execution by the company? Must Tunji-Ojo dispose of all his shares and stocks in private companies just because he is taking up a ministerial appointment? Or is a company that has a cabinet minister as one of its shareholders not eligible to bid for any government contract in Nigeria, knowing very well that the government in literally every country is the highest paying client?,” enquired the Coalition.
The Coalition further expressed the view that Tunji-Ojo had not only demonstrated exceptional competence and dedication to his duties since he assumed office as the Minister of Interior about five months ago but had also clearly proven himself to be a man of impeccable honesty, transparency and accountability, as evidenced in the laudable reforms he has engineered in the Ministry of Interior and its various Departments, Agencies and Parastatals.
“From implementing key reforms to enhance security, to spearheading initiatives that foster national unity, the minister’s accomplishments have been pivotal in shaping a better Nigeria for future generations, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu,” stated the Coalition.
The civil society group opined that Tunji-Ojo was a stickler for accountability and transparency, adding that he did not hesitate to order a full probe of an intelligence report on the misconduct of some men of the Nigerian Correctional Service, (NCoS), after the Chief of Defense Staff alleged before the House of Reps that some personnel of the service connived with inmates to finance the operations of proscribed terrorist groups.
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