The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has dismissed the recent legal moves targeting the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as a politically motivated distraction aimed at undermining his growing national profile, insisting that the attacks appear driven by speculation about a possible governorship ambition in Ondo State; an ambition the minister has not even declared.
Reacting to reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an activist permission to question the minister’s WAEC certificate while rejecting a separate request relating to his NYSC discharge, the group described the pattern of litigation as a coordinated smear campaign disguised as civic engagement.
Besides, HURIWA expressed disappointment that someone could go to court just to verify a WAEC result that can seamlessly be accessed by buying WAEC scratchcard and then verify in real time.
In a statement issued in Abuja, HURIWA said it finds it disturbing that credentials already accepted by statutory institutions such as the West African Examinations Council and the National Youth Service Corps are suddenly being dragged into public controversy through the courts without credible evidence of wrongdoing.
The association noted that Justice Binta Nyako granted leave for inquiry into the minister’s secondary school certificate, while Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the broader NYSC-related request, ruling that the applicant failed to establish sufficient public interest. According to the group, the latter decision exposes the intrusive and speculative nature of the demands.
HURIWA argued that academic credentials used for university admission and completion of national service already undergo several layers of institutional verification, making fresh court-driven probes unnecessary unless supported by concrete proof of forgery or misconduct.
The group said the development reflects a familiar Nigerian political pattern in which litigation, petitions and media narratives are deployed to weaken perceived frontline contenders ahead of election cycles. It expressed concern that even though the minister has not indicated any intention to contest the next governorship election in Ondo State, political actors fearful of that possibility appear to be mounting pre-emptive attacks against him.
HURIWA warned that turning the courts into arenas for speculative credential disputes risks trivialising the justice system and weaponising transparency mechanisms for partisan objectives.
The organisation further stressed that public accountability must not be reduced to fishing expeditions into personal records, financial history or service documentation without compelling justification, cautioning that normalising such tactics could expose many public officials to harassment by political opponents posing as whistleblowers.
HURIWA therefore urged political stakeholders in Ondo State to prioritise governance debates and policy alternatives rather than personality-driven attacks. It described it as deeply unfortunate that a serving minister focused on national responsibilities is being targeted based on assumptions about a governorship ambition he has not expressed.
The group also called on civil society organisations to resist being drawn into elite political rivalries, warning that advocacy loses credibility when it appears selective or strategically timed.
HURIWA concluded that while lawful scrutiny of public officials remains legitimate, such actions must be evidence-based, proportionate and genuinely in the public interest; not deployed as a pre-election weapon against individuals whose rising influence unsettles entrenched interests.
*Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko*
National Coordinator,
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
