By Abubakar Yunusa
The Nigeria Integrity Movement has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order a transparent investigation into allegations of document irregularities involving the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, warning that any attempt to shield him would undermine the government’s credibility.
At a world press conference on Thursday ,in Abuja, the group’s convener, Isaiah Davies Ijele, cautioned against political interference, describing recent calls to protect the minister as “dangerous and damaging” to the administration’s image.
According to Ijele, the law must take precedence over performance ratings, insisting that the minister’s acclaimed efficiency should not exempt him from scrutiny.
“The fact that Minister Tunji-Ojo is seen as a high-performing official does not place him above the law.
“President Tinubu should direct the minister to submit to independent scrutiny so the public can be satisfied that the documents he submitted on nomination are authentic,”Ijele said
The controversy stems from media reports questioning discrepancies in Tunji-Ojo’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) records.
The NYSC had clarified that he was first mobilised in 2006 but absconded, later remobilised in 2019, with his certificate printed in 2023 after what it called an administrative omission.
While the Corps maintained that the certificate was genuine, Ijele have called for further explanation regarding the timeline and circumstances of its issuance.
Ijele noted that a cover-up could hand political opponents “a potent issue” and weaken President Tinubu’s stance on transparency and good governance.
He reminded the government of past cases where ministers voluntarily stepped aside during similar certificate controversies.
Ijele also raised questions about gaps in the NYSC’s response — particularly how a remobilised participant could have combined national service with other official duties, and why there was a long delay in producing the certificate.
“We are not on a political witch-hunt”.
“If there were administrative lapses at the NYSC, they must be fixed. If the minister’s documents are flawed, the law must take its course”,he added.
The group urged President Tinubu to direct relevant agencies — including the Department of State Services and anti-corruption bodies — to conduct an open, authoritative probe and publish their findings.
The NIM maintained that decisive action and transparency would strengthen public trust in the administration’s anti-corruption drive.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
