A civil society group, League for Good Governance (LEGOG) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to disregard calls by certain vested interests for him to shield the Minister of Interior, Olubumi Tunji-Ojo, over the allegation he forged his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
A statement signed and issued by the convener of LEGOG, Isaiah Davies Ijele, in Abuja, on Tuesday, explained that:
“The fact that Minister Tunji-Ojo is a star performing Minister is not in doubt, however, Nigeria is a country established and governed by the rule of law, hence, the push to get the President to look away from the substance of the allegations is a great disservice to Nigeria.”
The statement further said, “Instead of looking the other way, President Tinubu should ask the Minister to submit himself for scrutiny. Tinubu should direct Tunji-Ojo to come clean on the NYSC certificate he submitted to the Federal Government upon his nomination. Doing so would reinforce and boost Tinubu’s government’s credibility on adherent to the rule of law and good governance.”
The group warned that listening or accepting the calls by enemies of Nigeria, who are pushing for such a sensitive issue to be swept under the carpet would stand Tinubu’s government’s rating on good governance and rule of law on its head.
Coming at a time another Minister in Tinubu’s government just resigned over same certificate scandal, it would be disastrous for the president to shield anyone.
“President Tinubu should tread with caution as any attempt to shield Tunji-Ojo would send a wrong signal and may even introduce ethnic dimension to the whole issue. By accepting the calls to shield Tunji-Ojo, the President would have handed a portent topic to the relentless opposition to malign his government.
“Tunji-Ojo is not the first person in this Web. Recall that the Minister of Finance under late President Muhammadu Buhari government, Kemi Adeosun, was caught in the same NYSC certificate web. She simply resigned without resorting to throwing tantrums.
“This is no political witch hunt as some henchmen are trying to suggest. Tunji-Ojo should approach the NYSC, who’s office is located in the same Abuja, for the verification and confirmation of his NYSC certificate.
“Henchmen should stop distracting President Tinubu from doing his work. Let Tunji-Ojo, a citizen as Tinubu, defend himself.