By Biodun Oyesanmi | Asiwaju Media Team
Nigeria is once again confronted with a disturbing test of integrity in public office as outrage spreads nationwide over the continued refusal of the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to confront damning allegations of academic credential manipulation and NYSC certificate forgery hanging over his head.
At a time when the Federal Government preaches accountability and transparency, the prolonged silence of the minister has become loud, provocative, and deeply unsettling.
At the heart of the scandal are irreconcilable claims surrounding Tunji-Ojo’s NYSC history. Publicly available allegations accuse the minister of presenting an NYSC certificate during his ministerial screening despite conflicting narratives about his service status. According to these allegations, Tunji-Ojo reportedly claimed he was mobilised in 2006, absconded from service while he was in London, and was later remobilised in 2019, a period when he was already a serving member of the House of Representatives.
For many Nigerians, this claim is not just questionable, it is logically and administratively impossible.
Even more troubling are assertions that the NYSC certificate submitted was allegedly printed in 2023, raising red flags that it may have been produced specifically to satisfy Senate screening requirements. Critics argue that the alleged sequence of events reeks of document manipulation, backdated records, and outright forgery, yet the minister has failed to issue a single verifiable document or detailed explanation to clear the air.
Reacting sharply, a senior APC chieftain in Ondo State described the situation as an educational embarrassment and moral disaster, warning that silence in the face of such allegations damages not just the individual involved, but the credibility of governance itself.
“These allegations are indefensible if true. This is not about eligibility for office. NYSC is not a constitutional requirement for becoming a minister or lawmaker,” the APC leader stated.
“What is at issue here is forgery. If someone did not qualify for NYSC, honesty demands they say so and present only what they genuinely earned, even if it is just SSCE. Falsifying records is a criminal matter.”
The party leader stressed that the APC has no business shielding personal misconduct, noting that the allegations are strictly personal to Tunji-Ojo and must be answered by him alone.
Meanwhile, the controversy has taken a more confrontational dimension following a series of viral videos by Abuja based APC figure, Alhaji Gamba Gololo, who accused authorities of selective justice and political protectionism.
While commending President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his anti-corruption stance, Gololo questioned why Tunji-Ojo appears untouched by accountability mechanisms, despite claims that he was invited by the EFCC over alleged contract related frauds connected to the suspended former Minister, Dr. Betta Edu.
According to Gololo, while Dr. Edu was swiftly suspended, Tunji-Ojo allegedly ignored EFCC invitations without consequence, reinforcing public suspicion that some officials are above the law.
“This is intimidation by silence and protection by power,” Gololo alleged.
“Some people are punished instantly, others are wrapped in political immunity. That is not justice.”
He warned that such double standards are tarnishing Nigeria’s international reputation and entrenching the belief that political godfathers, regional alliances, and proximity to power determine who is held accountable.
As public anger intensifies, civil society organisations have reportedly concluded plans to confront the issue head on. Several groups have vowed to launch peaceful nationwide protests, insisting on full disclosure, forensic verification of credentials, and an independent investigation by relevant authorities.
Analysts caution that the minister’s continued refusal to address these allegations represents more than personal negligence, it signals a systemic failure of institutional vetting, transparency, and moral leadership.
In a democracy already strained by distrust, silence is no longer neutral. It is provocative.
As of the time of filing this report, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has offered no comprehensive, documented, or verifiable response to the allegations of NYSC and academic record forgery.
Observers insist that only one path remains, open confrontation of the facts. Anything short of that, they argue, confirms public fears and deepens the stain on Nigeria’s governance architecture.
The questions are clear.
The allegations are grave.
And the silence is no longer acceptable.
