By Cross Udo, Abuja
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has alleged that recent protests against the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, were orchestrated to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects.
Nwauju, in a statement issued Monday, condemned the demonstrations and questioned their timing, noting that court cases seeking judicial probes into the minister’s WAEC and NYSC records are currently pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“The timing of the protests in the face of two court cases currently lying before two justices of the Federal High Court, Abuja, demanding a judicial probe into the Minister’s WAEC and NYSC records, simply proves that those who went to court do not even have confidence in the very process they initiated,” he said.
“If they have sufficient evidence which they have the opportunity to provide before the courts, why resort to street protests? Why try to play on the emotions and intelligence of Nigerians?” he added.
He described the protests as “an attempt to blur the sense of judgement of the unsuspecting public, bully the judges and continue the political blackmail against Nigeria’s best performing Minister.”
The APC stalwart said Tunji-Ojo had recorded significant reforms since assuming office on August 21, 2023, including improvements in the operations of paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior and increased revenue performance.
“No patriotic Nigerian would clamour for the removal of such a high-performing official of government, if not with an ulterior motive of reversing the huge gains government has achieved in less than three years through that Ministry and derailing the renewed hope agenda of Mr President, thereby making his reelection difficult come 2027,” Nwauju said.
He dismissed the protests as sponsored distractions and urged Nigerians to support the minister’s ongoing reforms.
Yahoo Mail: Search, organise, conquer
