The CCB had initially summoned the minister for an inquiry into his company's involvement in a ₦438 million contract with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The scheduled meeting, which was supposed to take place on Monday, faced a setback as the minister failed to attend in person. Instead, he sent a memo to the CCB, explaining his absence due to a national assignment.

Veronica Kato, the spokesperson for the Code of Conduct Bureau, clarified the situation in a recent telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune. According to Kato, the minister's interrogation has been rescheduled for a later date in response to his formal request for a change in schedule.

“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,” Kato stated.

She emphasized that there was no intentional avoidance of the invitation, stating, “There was no case of shunning invitation.”

When questioned about the specific rescheduled date, Kato mentioned that no precise date has been determined yet. “We don’t have a precise date now, but it has been rescheduled to another day,” she explained.

The unfolding events highlight the complexity of the situation and the need for transparency as the minister's involvement in the multimillion-naira contract continues to be scrutinized by the Code of Conduct Bureau.