By Victor Rawa.
The recent attempts to drag Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, one of the best-performing Ministers in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet, into needless controversy should concern every patriotic Nigerian. This is not about accountability, because true accountability must be holistic, transparent, and fair, it is about politics, pure and simple. Those fueling these allegations are not speaking for the masses; they are hiding behind the veil of opposition and playing a dangerous game of attacking the President through his trusted appointees.
Let us put the facts side by side. Ondo State has a 2025 budget of ₦655 billion, with over ₦406 billion earmarked for capital projects covering infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education. With such vast allocations, citizens should be seeing visible results on the ground, better schools, functional hospitals, accessible roads, and a boost in youth employment. Yet, what do we see? Instead of showcasing achievements backed by such resources, traducers have chosen to channel all their energy into targeting Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, a Minister who is delivering results nationally, all in an attempt to weaken the President’s standing.
Contrast this with Imo State, a non–oil-producing state. With far fewer resources, Governor Hope Uzodimma has not only stabilized state finances but also recently approved a minimum wage of ₦104,000 for Imo workers, far above the ₦70,000 national benchmark. At the same time, Imo’s Internally Generated Revenue has surged from under ₦400 million to over ₦3 billion monthly, while federal allocations have grown from ₦7.5 billion to over ₦13 billion. These reforms have been matched with visible development: improved public sector wages, pensions, and infrastructure. Simply put, Imo is doing more with less. Shouldn’t this comparison make the people of Ondo State demand better from those who control their allocations, instead of being distracted by politically motivated attacks on a federal Minister?
It is obvious that the real target is not Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo but President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself. By attacking one of his most capable lieutenants, traducers are seeking to paint the administration in a bad light, undermine its reforms, and sow discontent among the people. Sadly, even support groups working for the President in Ondo State are now being hounded by interests linked to the state government. This begs serious questions: Why should loyal Tinubu support structures be treated as enemies? What exactly is the endgame? Is it to frustrate the President’s reelection bid in 2027? Or worse still, are some forces within APC secretly romancing the opposition, whether PDP, Labour Party or even ADC, while pretending to be with the party? If so, that is not only disloyalty, it is sabotage in broad daylight.
Ondo State must not be deceived. Accountability is welcome, but it must be consistent. It cannot be that we close our eyes to how state allocations are managed, yet amplify unsubstantiated claims against a Minister whose performance is strengthening the government’s image.
The Ondo people deserve straight answers: Why is public service delivery still lagging in Ondo despite massive capital budgets? Why are wages not keeping pace with rising allocations, while Imo, with less, is leading the way? Why are key indicators like health, education, and infrastructure not improving at the expected rate in a state that is better resourced than many of its peers? These are the real accountability questions.
We stand firmly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and reject any attempt to turn genuine governance into a political chess game. Ministers who are delivering on their mandate, like Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, should be shielded from baseless blackmail. The Presidency must not be weakened through indirect attacks disguised as public concern. If accountability is the goal, then let it be demanded across the board, not as a tool of political survival, but as a duty to the Nigerian people.
Nigeria cannot afford distractions. What we need now is progress, fairness, and truth. And the truth is simple: traducers may try to divert attention, but the people know where accountability must truly begin.
