By Adesina Wahab
The National Association of Nigerian Students NANS has called on President Bola Tinubu to protect Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo from blackmailers and those who derive pleasure in bringing people down.
The association, in a statement in by the President of the Senate, Comrade Usman Adamu Nagwaza, described the recent campaign of calumny against the minister as unfortunate and disheartening.
“It is so disheartening and melancholic that some unpatriotic and retrogressive people, who ought to get better with the nation’s progress, are often the ones calling for the head of those who serve as catalysts for such progress, persistently doing everything possible to bring them down. These individuals have no love for the country, lack conscience, and detest the growth and development of the nation.
“The continued backlash, defamation, and maligning of Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo (BTO), the Minister of Interior, point in one clear direction that the enemies of Nigeria’s progress and growth remain unyielding and unrepentant in their pursuit to bring down the Renewed Hope “Starboy.” While the unprecedented achievements and monumental strides of BTO continue to leave us in awe, these individuals, driven by bitterness and envy, have resorted to constant name-calling and blackmail. This attitude is utterly unpatriotic and must be condemned.
“These pathetic individuals flooded the media space in the last couple of months to peddle a corruption agenda against the astute and hardworking Minister of Interior. However, their plot failed and was met with staunch resistance. Is it not ridiculous that, having failed in their previous attempt to malign the Honourable Minister, these same individuals have resurfaced with yet another fabricated scandal? This is a direct attack aimed at bringing disrepute to the Honourable Minister and must be completely discarded.
“It is quite laughable and suspicious that those now peddling falsehoods and fabricating an NYSC-related scandal against Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo have suddenly found their voices only after his historic achievements as Minister of Interior began making national headlines. Where were these self-acclaimed crusaders of truth when he served meritoriously as a distinguished member of the House of Representatives, sponsoring impactful bills and touching lives across Nigeria? Where were they during his nomination, screening, and ratification as Minister when every detail of his background was meticulously scrutinized and cleared by the relevant authorities? Their sudden emergence at a time when the Honourable Minister is breaking records and transforming the Ministry of Interior clearly exposes their mischief and envy. This desperate attempt to tarnish his hard-earned reputation is not only baseless but also a calculated distraction from his laudable achievements and must be seen for what it truly is, a failed smear campaign by frustrated detractors.
“Mr. President, we must first commend your visionary leadership and meticulous judgment in appointing Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo as a cabinet member to drive the Renewed Hope Agenda. Your decision to entrust him with the responsibility of overseeing the Ministry of Interior has proven to be one of the most impactful and transformative choices of your administration. Hon. Tunji-Ojo has not only justified the confidence reposed in him but has also become a major catalyst in the actualization of your Renewed Hope vision through his unprecedented reforms, innovation, and commitment to service delivery.
“It is, therefore, imperative to bring to your attention that the ongoing attempts by certain individuals to peddle baseless scandals against him are nothing more than a calculated plot to tarnish his image and, by extension, cast aspersions on your administration’s integrity and success. We urge you, Mr. President, to do everything within your power to protect Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, who remains a symbol of excellence, integrity, and the true spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Mr. President, under the exceptional stewardship of Hon. Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (BTO), the Ministry of Interior has achieved unprecedented milestones that have brought pride to your administration and renewed the faith of Nigerians in effective governance. In less than two years, over 3.5 million passports have been issued, about 3,080,141 locally and 466,117 to Nigerians in the diaspora, while saving the government over ₦1 billion annually through the automation of breeder document uploads. In partnership with IRIS Smart Technologies Ltd., BTO also introduced Nigeria’s first high-capacity passport production engine, boosting daily output from 300 to over 5,000 booklets per machine and enabling citizens to receive passports within 24 hours. Remarkably, this historic achievement was realized without direct government funding, a testament to his integrity, creativity, and dedication to national service.
“Given these extraordinary accomplishments, we passionately appeal to you, Mr. President, to protect Hon. Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo from the forces of falsehood and fabricated scandals seeking to undermine his good name and the success of your administration. Nigeria cannot afford to lose a resourceful, visionary, and result-driven Minister like BTO whose commitment continues to give life and meaning to the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
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