A coalition of civil society organizations has petitioned President Bola Tinubu, demanding the suspension of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, amid allegations of irregularities surrounding his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
In a letter submitted to the Presidency on Tuesday, the groups urged an independent investigation into what they described as “a constitutional and ethical matter” that challenges public integrity and accountability. The petition, addressed to President Tinubu via his Chief of Staff and copied to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), emphasized that no government official should be immune from scrutiny, particularly on issues affecting public trust.
The petition alleges that Tunji-Ojo was first mobilized for NYSC in 2006 at age 24 but did not complete the mandatory one-year service. According to the groups, the NYSC later confirmed that he failed to finish the program.
Thirteen years later, in 2019, Tunji-Ojo was reportedly re-mobilized to complete his service year. However, during this period, he was serving as a federal lawmaker representing Akoko North-East/North-West Federal Constituency in Ondo State—a situation the petitioners say violates constitutional provisions against holding two public offices simultaneously.
Although Tunji-Ojo is said to have completed his service in 2020, he did not receive a discharge certificate until 2023. The certificate in question was allegedly signed by an NYSC Director-General who was not in office at the time the service was purportedly completed.
The NYSC reportedly explained the delay by claiming the minister’s name was “omitted during printing.” The petitioners dismissed this explanation as “suspicious, irregular, and inconsistent with established NYSC administrative procedures.”
Citing Sections 2 and 13 of the NYSC Act, which criminalize absconding and possession of forged certificates, the groups also referenced constitutional clauses forbidding public officers from drawing salaries from more than one office, as well as provisions under the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Act that prescribe imprisonment of up to seven years for such violations.
The coalition accused the government of selective justice, pointing to a recent case where a minister from the South-East resigned over certificate issues. They insisted that similar standards must apply to Tunji-Ojo.
“Justice must not wear ethnic or political colours,” the petition read.
The groups called for Tunji-Ojo’s immediate suspension pending investigation and urged the Presidency to instruct the NYSC, ICPC, and CCB to verify the 2023 certificate’s authenticity. They also requested that the National Assembly investigate any potential double remuneration during 2019-2020.
Emphasizing that the matter transcends politics, the coalition described it as a critical test of Nigeria’s adherence to the rule of law.
“This is not merely about Bunmi Tunji-Ojo — it is about whether the rule of law still governs our democracy,” the petition stated, urging President Tinubu to act decisively “for history, for justice, and for Nigeria.”
This controversy follows closely on the heels of former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, who resigned amid allegations of certificate forgery involving the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
