Under FOI Act, lawyer demands NYSC certificate, academic records of Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
A prominent public interest lawyer, Ayodele Ademiluyi, has formally requested critical documents relating to the Federal Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
The lawyer’s requests, dated October 22 and 24, 2025, were directed to three government agencies: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and the Federal Minister of Interior himself.
Key Documents Requested:
In separate letters to the agencies, Ademiluyi requested:
From INEC:
• Confirmation of the educational qualifications declared by Hon. Tunji-Ojo during his electoral filings in 2010 and 2018
• Certified copies of Forms CF001 and CF002 submitted to INEC, including all attached academic and service credentials
From NYSC:
• Certified true copy of the NYSC mobilisation letter issued to Hon. Tunji-Ojo
• Evidence of monthly and final clearances
• Confirmation of his date of NYSC mobilisation in 2006
• Details of the university degree submitted for mobilisation purposes
• Official correspondence relating to the issuance or reissuance of his NYSC certificate
Legal Grounds Cited:
The lawyer invoked Sections 13, 14(2)(b), and 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandate government organs and public officers to uphold principles of honesty, transparency, integrity, and accountability.
Ademiluyi also referenced Section 114(d) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which makes it an offence to make false entries in electoral records, and Section 2(3) of the NYSC Act, which requires continuous and uninterrupted service for twelve months.
The lawyer raised concerns about whether an individual can participate in NYSC while simultaneously occupying an elective or full-time public office, describing such a scenario as potentially contravening the NYSC Act’s requirement for continuous service.
Compliance Deadline:
Under Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, the agencies are required to respond within seven days of receiving the request. The lawyer warned that failure to comply would result in legal proceedings before a competent court.
As at the time of this report, the requests remain unanswered.
The development adds to ongoing public discourse about the verification of credentials of public office holders in Nigeria.
