The Conference of Civil Society for Peace, Security and National Development has rejected the call for the suspension or sack of Dr. Elijah Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to succumb to the antics of the enemies of the nation.
The conveners of the coalition, Dr. Adamu Muhammad and Chief Michael Msuaan, made the call, in a statement jointly issued in Abuja while reacting to alleged involvement of the minister in the N438.1m consultancy contract between New Planet Project Limited, a company linked to Tunji-Ojo and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The group maintained that Tunji-Ojo remains one of the best ministers in the cabinet of Tinubu. According to the civil society group, within the few months in office, the interior minister has left no one in doubt of his commitment to do things differently.
He has been able to marshal the clearance of about 204,000 backlogs of passports within just three weeks in office.
The duo of Muhammad and Msuaan asserted that enemies of the country who do not want anything good in the country are at it, sponsoring media commentaries aimed at blackmailing the minister.
“Their aim is to get the minister sacked so that they can continue their business of shortchanging the country.
“We state emphatically that enemies of the country who were involved in passport racketeering and fraud in the immigration and other services in the ministry and their sponsors are up to heat up the polity with sensational news targeted at criminalising the minister. Tinubu must resist the temptation of playing into the hands of these enemies.”
Meanwhile, over 72 Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, yesterday, expressed its support for the Minister of Interior, Dr OlubunmiTunji-Ojo, calling on President Bola Tinubu to disregard calls for Tunji-Ojo’s suspension.
The CSOs observed what they believe to be unjustified vilification and cyber-bullying of Tunji-Ojo, who is currently being investigated for allegations of corruption.
The Director-General of the CSOs, AjagunOpeyemi Samuel, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, said that vested interests have orchestrated a campaign to tarnish Tunji-Ojo’s image due to the reforms he has implemented in the Ministry of Interior.
The CSOs argue that accusations against Tunji-Ojo lack basis in law and logic, as he had resigned from the alleged company involved in the corruption allegations five years prior to becoming a minister.
The CSOs commended Tinubu for not succumbing to pressure and ordering a thorough investigation by the EFCC.
They warn against the ongoing sabotaging of the government for selfish political interests, calling on security agencies to probe the media attacks on federal ministries, including the Ministry of Interior.
The CSOs demanded that Tunji-Ojo be exonerated and that those behind the attacks face the consequences.
