Shara Reporters reports that President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominee and serving House of Representatives member, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is currently enmeshed in a scandal surrounding his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme certificate.
Ojo claimed he graduated from the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University) where he studied Electronics and Communication Engineering and graduated in 2005 at the age of 24.
The NYSC Act makes it compulsory for all Nigerians who earn degrees or higher national diplomas from tertiary institutions in Nigeria and abroad (effective 1972/73 session) to participate in the scheme.
The only exemption graduates exempted, according to the Act, are those who graduated after the age of 30, persons with national honours and individuals who serve in the military and intelligence organisations.
However, in the documents presented to the Senate for his confirmation, Tunji-Ojo claimed he was mobilised for the compulsory one-year national service from November 28, 2019, to November 27, 2020, a few months after he was elected a federal lawmaker.
The former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was first elected in 2019.
He is currently representing Akoko North Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
The copy of the NYSC certificate with number FC/FRN/2019/724075, was issued on February 28, 2023.
Section 12 of the NYSC Act mandates all employers to demand the national service certificate of prospective employees before hiring.
Section 12 of the Act reads, “For the purposes of employment anywhere in the Federation and before employment, it shall be the duty of every prospective employer to demand and obtain from any person who claims to have obtained his first degree at the end of the academic year 1973-74 or, as the case may be, at the end of any subsequent academic year the following:-
a. a copy of the Certificate of National Service of such person issued pursuant to section 11 of this Decree
“b. a copy of any exemption certificate issued to such person pursuant to section 17 of this Decree “c. such other particulars relevant there to as may be prescribed by or under this Decree.”
Section 13 of the Act also criminalises skipping the national service as it prescribes 12 months imprisonment or fine of N2,000 or both, for such offenders.”
Meanwhile, an Ondo State-based group operating under the aegis of Concerned Ondo Patriots has petitioned the Senate, asking it not to confirm Tunji-Ojo as minister for allegedly forging his certificate
The group in a statement accused the lawmaker of perjury and lying on oath to have served even when he was already a member of the House of Representatives.
It insisted that his confirmation would cast a credibility crisis on the cabinet of President Tinubu in the obvious forgery and perjury.
According to the petition signed by Bamidele Okere and Musiliu Babatunde, the nominee forged the NYSC certificate he presented.
The group added that Tunji-Ojo who was first elected into the House of Representatives in June 2019 couldn’t have served while in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
It lamented that it was wrong for the Senate in its tradition to have asked the nominee from the state to take a bow, when his NYSC certificate showed that it was signed on February 28, 2023.
“The NYSC certificate tendered by Hon. Ojo also has his picture, with date of birth of 01/May/1982. It should be noted that Hon. Ojo claimed to have graduated from a London University in 2006 at age 25,” it said.
“The Concerned Ondo Patriots therefore called on the Senate not to clear the nominee.”
