By Roy Ofori, African Heritage Global Affairs Editor
In a strongly worded reaction to the unfolding allegations of certificate forgery against Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, former ADC Deputy National Chairman (Diaspora Engagement) and 2023 Delta North Senatorial Candidate, Hon. (Dr.) Kenneth Gbandi, has called for accountability, transparency, and an end to selective morals in the handling of such high-profile cases.
According to Hon. Gbandi, “What is good for the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, is equally good for Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the public outcry must be loud and demand for transparency must be unabated. The standard of integrity in public office must be uniform, irrespective of political clout or closeness to the corridors of power.”
The former Nigerian Diaspora Organisation (NIDOE) Europe Chairman and ADC Diaspora leader noted that Nigerians are increasingly losing confidence in the country’s vetting processes, especially the role of the Department of State Services (DSS) in screening ministerial nominees.
“Why waste everyone’s time with DSS vetting of ministers and public officials,” Gbandi questioned, “if such sensitive checks consistently fail to detect document irregularities before appointments are confirmed? If the allegations against Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo turn out to mirror those of Chief Uche Nnaji, then it is time for the DSS leadership to take a bow and clear their desks. This is no longer a national disgrace but an international embarrassment.”
Hon. Gbandi emphasized that the continuous emergence of certificate controversies within the current administration has not only damaged Nigeria’s global image but also cast a shadow over the country’s educational credibility and governance systems.
He urged Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to invoke the Freedom of Information Act to independently scrutinize the academic and professional credentials of all serving ministers and senior government officials in the current administration.
“This has gone beyond isolated incidents; it is beginning to look like an emerging pattern or, worse still, an institutional culture within the ruling party,” Gbandi stated. “Whether it is due to lack of due process or deliberate complicity, the trend of certificate forgery is undermining the integrity of millions of hardworking Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora who have earned their qualifications honestly.”
He warned that the continued tolerance of such malpractices makes a mockery of Nigeria’s education system and erodes confidence in the nation’s institutions of learning and recruitment procedures.
“The government must realize that the moral authority to lead begins with credibility,” Gbandi concluded. “Nigeria cannot build a nation of excellence on a foundation of falsified credentials and compromised vetting systems.”
As public reactions intensify on social and mainstream media, many Nigerians are echoing similar sentiments, demanding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration demonstrate transparency and enforce accountability, not just in words but through decisive actions.
African Heritage Magazine: Promoting Excellence, Celebrating African Achievements Worldwide
