NYSC Clarifies President Tinubu Ministerial Nominee’s Controversial Certificate

The National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) has verified the legitimacy of the certificate presented by Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, a ministerial nominee of President Bola Tinubu, to the Nigerian Senate.

An investigation by Premium Times found inconsistencies with Tunji-Ojo’s NYSC certificate.

Though he claimed to have served from November 2019 to November 2020, his certificate was issued in February and signed by Yushau Ahmed, who only took office as NYSC Director-General in January.

This raised eyebrows as NYSC traditionally provides certificates immediately post-service and doesn’t reprint them.

Despite these discrepancies, the Nigerian Senate approved Tunji-Ojo’s ministerial nomination.

Seeking clarity, the platform filed a Freedom of Information request with the NYSC, questioning the certificate’s issuance date and the circumstances of Tunji-Ojo’s NYSC mobilization while serving in the House of Representatives.

Part of the letter reads, “If the certificate is genuine, in what organisation did he carry out his primary assignment? What was his community development service project? Through which bank was he paid allowances? Did he participate in the orientation programme signalling the commencement of Service, and the passing-out parade signalling the completion of service?”

In its response to the letter NYSC claimed that Tunji-Ojo’s certificate is genuine, noting that the nominee was first mobilised in 2006 but “absconded from the service.”

NYSC further stated he later resurfaced in 2018 and was remobilised in 2019 and deployed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Garki, Abuja, as his place of primary assignment.

The organisation, however, said Tunji-Ojo’s certificate was omitted when others were printed in 2020.

The NYSC said, “During the passing out, his Certificate of National Service was not available because it was omitted in the Certificate Printing Application.”

“He (Mr Tunji-Ojo) applied for his Certificate of National Service through the State Coordinator FCT on 18th October 2022, and the State Coordinator forwarded the same to the Headquarters and his Certificate of National Service No. A004523631 was produced on 28th February 2023 for collection.”