The moment it became public knowledge that Betta Edu has been embezzling funds meant for vulnerable citizens, I knew Olubunmi Tunji Ojo would be very much involved. Having never held public office in Abuja, I knew that Olubunmi is her teacher and facilitator. Everyone in the corridors of power in Abuja knows that their relationship is not ordinary. I recall that on the day of their screening at the Senate, they drove in the same car and walked into the Senate building hand in hand. I also recall that they visited Senators prior to their screening together. Olubunmi has been around since 2019 when he became a Member representing his constituency in Ondo State, and because of his very active role in supporting Bros Gbaja in becoming Mr. Speaker, he was rewarded as Chairman of the NDDC Committee. The rest is history. Olubunmi never spends Naira. He is known to be one of the largest spenders of dollar bills in Abuja. It was this constant availability of dollars that attracted Betta to him in the first place.
Olubunmi had an interview organized for him last night on Channels and went there to do what he knows best – lying and being courageous about it. Only fools will believe that story. He claimed to have resigned since 2019. I know he will have by now paid the CAC to back up his claims, just like he did during his fake NYSC certificate saga. Any right-thinking Nigerian knows that he presented a fake certificate. In the whole of Naija, Olubunmi’s certificate is special and different from every other certificate ever issued to anyone else. I was not shocked when the NYSC purportedly issued him an all-clear on the prompting of the office of the Chief of Staff to the President. I felt sorry that Bola Tinubu’s presidency was the first to have covered up anyone involved in such a certificate mess, and so he became a Minister. As the elders say, character and behavior are like smoke… they will always ooze out! I knew he would get into trouble again. While he chaired the NDDC in the House of Reps, what did he do that led to his arrest by the anti-corruption agencies? Who begged and pleaded with the then Niger Delta Minister, Akpabio, to let the matter slide?
You claimed to have retired from New Planet projects since 2019. Who did you hand over the company to? Did your wife also resign as Director? Did you sell the company? Who has been signing the company’s checks till this bubble burst? So, Betta Edu will approve the payment of over #500m of government funds to the company you have been using even prior to your Reps membership, and you know nothing about it? That bravado on Channels last night was simply a show of shame. Not all of us are fools.
The moment Olubunmi and Betta became Ministers, he was effectively running the two Ministries. Olubunmi got his aides appointed as heads of agencies under Betta. Apalowo, Egbuwalo, and co are some of them. Stealing, lying, and being courageous about it is his stock in trade. If the President knew him, I doubt if he would have associated with him in the first place. Bros Gbaja introduced him to the President. It is only Gbaja’s involvement in this that I am not sure of. Olubunmi is in charge of Betta, and his own involvement is not in doubt.
Mr. President, if you want Nigerians to take you seriously, please order a forensic audit of all spending not just in the Humanitarian Ministry but also in the Interior Ministry and its agencies since you appointed both of them. What will be discovered will shock Nigerians, unless it is not the Olubunmi we know. Mr. President acted swiftly and rightly. Please extend the dragnet and do not let them stain you. Nigerians are suffering. The sacrifice we are making is too much for these guys to take us as fools and you as Mugu. Someone said to me last night that Olubunmi will escape this again because of Gbaja.
We will wait and see…
Peter Oludare, Abuja.
