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Edu Gate: Groups Condemned Twisted Story Against Tunji Ojo, Commend Him For Decorum In Governance
..A foremost Nigerian Minister of repute
Prominent Civil Society and Pro-democracy Groups have condemned the recent attempt to drag the name of the Hon Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, Minister of Interior in the on going accusation against the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu.
According to the statement ” Let us first of all commend President Bola Tinubu for his prompt handling of the EduGate in the best interest of the nation and by allowing the relevant agencies to investigate the matter to its logical conclusion devoid of interference from any quaters”.
In the statement authored by Ismail Ibrahim Bakori, the President of Arewa Voters Assembly(AVA) and Comrade Segun Adegoke of the Progressive Action for Justice Unity and Democracy(PAJUD) stated that the democratic handling over of power on May 29, 2023, opened up fresh possibilities for a renewal of our political and socio economic life on the foundation of accountability and transparency on the part of elected public office holders.
“Our attention has been drawn to the barrage of mischievous accusations being labelled against Hon Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, Minister of Interior by hirelings of mischief and failed politicians from the People’s Democratic Party( PDP) in their desperate attempt to link him with Edu Gate”.
The groups posit that in less than eight months that President Tinubu assumed office, Ojo has come out with a well defined mission, vision, blueprint and seriousness of purpose in the onerous task of addressing the multifarious problems and challenges confronting the Interior Ministry. The promptness with which he tackled the international passport scarcity and other matters are eloquent testimonies that he is a star boy of the Tinubu’s administration and that he is focused and seriously minded political appointee of the government.
“We posit that since the beginning of the Nigerian democracy, the political firmament and landscape is over dosed with different genres of characters, ranging from the good, the bad and ugly. Sadly, the characters behind the campaign of calumny and distractions against Hon Ojo represents the ugliest part the Nigerian political elites. Their sixteen years of wasteful, fruitless, misrule and of the Nigerian state speaks negatively of them. They lacked the moral responsibility to launch any smear campaign, mudslinging and mischief making against Hon Ojo who instituted decorum in the affairs of the Nigerian Interior Ministry at the moment”. Adding that “Instead of throwing tantrums and vile mischief, the PDP should go back to the drawing table, put their house in order and give the ruling APC a credible opposition”.
“Our findings on the fabricated allegations against him revealed that he truly established the said company 10 years ago, but resigned from the directorship in the 2019 when he contested for the House of Representatives seat and has not been involved either in the management of the company or being a signatory to the accounts company anymore. Furthermore, Hon Ojo gave proper account of himself during his appearance on a Channels TV programme few days ago. And the Certified True Copy of Corporate Affairs Commission has been made available to the Nigerian public to authenticate his claims and the veracity of the rumour mill.
Accordingly, we posited that Hon Ojo reformed the Interior Ministry from an obscure public holiday declaration outfit to a world class result oriented one. Also he is working to ensure respect for any citizen holding Nigerian passport in his policy of implementation of principle of reciprocity in international relations by stopping the visa on arrival privilege granted foreign nationals whose nations subject Nigerians to tedious visa application regime among other new found progressive initiatives.
“It is evidently clear that Hon Ojo has warmed himself into the hearts of Nigerians with his above average performance in office thereby putting the Tinubu administration into positive reckoning but very sadly rented critics are working so hard and tirelessly to pollute the atmosphere with baseless, unwarranted, misplaced, political motivated and unsubstantiated allegations against him. The same people of questionable integrity that left behind legacies of terrible misdeeds, bizarre grafts, mindless rapacity, failed third term agenda and unimaginable atrocities”.
“They are devilish and leprous to the extent that Nigerians are not ready to allign with their campaign of blackmail laced with sinister motives against Hon Ojo”.
“We urge Hon Ojo to ignore further campaign of calumny and distractions against him from the axis of mischief makers and agent provocateurs calculated to distract him from accomplishing the mission assigned to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Because the entire allegations are targeted towards deflating the tide of public opinion in favour of the present government. In fact, we must state it clearly and categorically that Hon Ojo is a victim of conspiracy by the cartel of passport racketeering he dismantled, now fighting back to take destroy his unblemished reputation and time honoured record of excellence and honesty”.
They concluded that after all, Nigeria is a country founded on constitutional democracy anchored on the rule of law and due process. And that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is trying to entrench the country along such path and place Nigeria on the comity of nations with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has directed all four emirates in the state to begin preparations for the upcoming Sallah Durbar Celebration.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, confirmed this in a statement, emphasizing that the event is a cherished tradition where citizens gather to witness Emirs on horseback and celebrate in grand style.
Tofa assured that security agencies will be fully engaged to ensure the safety of both residents and visitors during the festivities.
Governor Yusuf also praised the Emirs for maintaining a harmonious relationship since their appointments, describing it as unprecedented in Kano’s history.
Additionally, the Kano State Emirate Council is set to be inaugurated in April. The governor stated that its operational guidelines and ethics would be outlined on the inauguration day.
Impeached Governors in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic
Before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu, and state lawmakers over the ongoing political crisis, there were already moves to impeach Fubara.
Had he been impeached, Fubara would have joined a list of Nigerian governors removed from office since the country’s return to democracy in 1999. Below is a list of impeached governors and the circumstances surrounding their removal:
1. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa State, 2005)
Alamieyeseigha was Bayelsa’s first civilian governor in the Fourth Republic, elected in 1999 and reelected in 2003. However, in 2005, he was impeached over allegations of corruption, including theft of public funds and money laundering. Two years later, he pleaded guilty to six charges and was sentenced to prison.
2. Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo State, 2006)
Ladoja governed Oyo State from 2003 until January 2006, when state lawmakers impeached him. Christopher Alao-Akala was sworn in as his replacement. However, Ladoja was reinstated in December 2006 after a court ruling nullified his removal. He later claimed his impeachment was due to his opposition to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term bid.
3. Ayo Fayose (Ekiti State, 2006)
Fayose, elected in 2003, was impeached in 2006 alongside his deputy, Biodun Olujimi, over allegations of corruption, including embezzling funds meant for the state’s poultry project. Twenty-four out of 26 lawmakers voted for their removal. Although Fayose fled at the time, he later returned and contested again. The Supreme Court eventually ruled that his impeachment was unlawful.
4. Peter Obi (Anambra State, 2006)
Peter Obi, who later became the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023, was impeached just six months into his tenure as Anambra governor. He claimed he was removed for refusing to inflate the state budget. He challenged his impeachment in court and won, returning to office in February 2007.
5. Joshua Dariye (Plateau State, 2006)
Dariye faced impeachment proceedings in October 2006 after being linked to money laundering. Only eight out of 24 lawmakers initially issued an impeachment notice, which he contested. However, the following month, he was removed, and his deputy, Michael Botmang, took over. The Supreme Court later reinstated him, but his tenure ended in 2007. That same year, the EFCC accused him of diverting N1 billion in state ecological funds.
6. Murtala Nyako (Adamawa State, 2014)
Nyako was removed in 2014 over allegations of misappropriating N17 billion, illegal salary deductions, and misusing local government funds. He and his deputy, Bala Ngilari, received impeachment notices in June 2014, and a month later, he was removed from office. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the state’s house speaker at the time, was sworn in as acting governor.
These impeachments highlight the political turbulence that has shaped Nigeria’s democratic governance over the years.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it “unconstitutional and reckless.”
In a statement on Wednesday via X, Obi accused Tinubu of undermining democracy and disregarding the rule of law. He described the move as a dangerous attempt to tighten control over the state.
“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State is not just reckless—it is a clear attempt to return us to a state of nature and tighten its grip on power at all costs,” Obi stated.
He further argued that the political crisis in Rivers does not justify suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and state lawmakers. Obi accused the federal government of selectively interpreting Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution to serve its own interests.
“A state of emergency does not mean an elected Governor can be removed unilaterally. This decision does not align with democratic norms or good governance. Instead, it appears to be a predetermined action serving specific interests rather than the collective good of the people of Rivers State and Nigeria,” he said.
Obi warned that the move could set a dangerous precedent that threatens democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers. He also linked it to previous electoral irregularities, stating that such actions would push Nigeria toward lawlessness and anarchy.
He urged the National Assembly and other stakeholders to reject the emergency declaration, emphasizing that allowing it to stand would deepen the culture of impunity and weaken democratic institutions.
Kano gov approves Sallah durbar preparations for emirates
Nigerian governors that have been impeached since 1999
