A Civil Society Organisation, the Nigeria Integrity Movement (NIM), has called on President Bola Tinubu to allow an open and transparent investigation into the controversy surrounding the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate of the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Convener of the group, Davies Ijele, warned that any attempt to shield the minister from scrutiny could damage the administration’s credibility and give political opponents ammunition against the government’s anti-corruption stance.
He said the group’s demand was not politically motivated but anchored on the principle that “no one should be above the law,” regardless of performance or popularity.
“President Tinubu should direct the minister to submit to independent scrutiny so that the public can be satisfied that the documents he submitted are authentic,” Ijele said.
According to him, media investigations had prompted the NYSC to clarify that Tunji-Ojo was first mobilised in 2006 but absconded, later remobilised in 2019, and eventually issued a certificate in 2023 after an administrative delay.
The CSO convener, however, expressed concern over what he described as “technical gaps” in the NYSC’s explanation, questioning how a remobilised corps member could have served while holding other public duties and why the certificate’s printing was delayed for years.
He urged the president to empower relevant agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and anti-corruption bodies, to investigate both the minister’s records and the NYSC’s administrative processes.
“If the minister’s documents are genuine, a transparent investigation will clear all doubts. But if irregularities exist, the law must take its course,” Ijele stated.
He cited past instances where public officials stepped down amid certificate controversies, arguing that voluntary transparency helps safeguard public trust and institutional integrity.
The NIM insisted that transparency would strengthen public confidence in Tinubu’s commitment to good governance and accountability.
