The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has declined an invitation from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in connection with an ongoing investigation into an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers.

A visit to the CCB headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday revealed that the scheduled meeting between the minister and interrogators did not take place between 10 am and 1 pm as planned.

Confirming the situation, Veronica Kato, the CCB spokesperson, explained in a telephone interview that the minister’s interrogation would be rescheduled due to his national assignment, as communicated in a memo to the bureau.

Kato stated, “Yes, the minister’s interrogation has been rescheduled. He wrote, asking that it be rescheduled because he has a national assignment, so it has been rescheduled for a later date.” When questioned about the specific date for the rescheduled meeting, she mentioned that there was no precise date determined yet.

The CCB had summoned the minister regarding his company’s involvement in a ₦438 million contract with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The company, New Planet Projects, reportedly owned by the minister, received a contract from the ministry.

A document obtained by our correspondent disclosed that the CCB’s invitation was based on its mandate and powers as outlined in the constitution. The letter addressed to the minister stated, “The bureau is investigating a case of alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in which your name featured prominently.”

Meanwhile, some interest groups, including the Coalition of Civil Rights Organisations and Elite Africa, defended the minister against the allegations. They accused his opponents of orchestrating a media trial to undermine his growing popularity and portrayed the allegations as politically motivated attempts to discredit his achievements.

In a statement, the Coalition of Civil Rights Organisations expressed skepticism about the credibility of the CCB’s invitation, considering it a smear campaign lacking credible evidence. Elite Africa criticized the South West Integrity Group for demanding the minister’s suspension, attributing the timing of the allegations to discomfort with Tunji-Ojo’s anti-corruption stance and his efforts to dismantle established systems of exploitation.