.Says interior ministry sets new governance standard
A prominent stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has described the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as one of the most dedicated, visionary and result-oriented members of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the past three years.
Nwauju, in a statement marking the third anniversary of the inauguration of President Tinubu’s first batch of ministers, said Tunji-Ojo had transformed the Interior Ministry through measurable reforms and people-centred initiatives.
He noted that when Tunji-Ojo assumed office in 2023, the Interior Ministry was largely associated with announcements of public holidays, but had since become a ministry delivering significant institutional reforms and measurable results.
According to him, the ministry’s performance was further validated by commendations from the National Assembly after it surpassed its revenue-generation target for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
“For those of us who believe in deliberately injecting fresh blood into every leadership strata in this country, Dr Tunji-Ojo is empirical evidence that young leadership can deliver beyond expectations,” Nwauju said.
He recalled that the minister hit the ground running shortly after his appointment by mobilising N585 million through corporate social responsibility to settle court fines and compensation for 4,068 indigent inmates in November 2023, as part of efforts to decongest custodial centres nationwide.
Nwauju also highlighted reforms in the correctional system, including educational opportunities that have enabled several inmates pursuing Master’s and PhD programmes to complete their studies, while others have enrolled for NABTEB and NECO examinations.
He cited the remodelling and upgrading of the National Fire Academy, the launch of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC), and the new NIMC Act 2026, which empowers the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as the mother certification authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
The APC chieftain said the Nigeria Immigration Service had also witnessed significant transformation through the digitisation of expatriate quota and residence permit processes, as well as the inauguration of a Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre, described as the first of its kind in the 62-year history of the service.
Nwauju further commended the ministry for completing the promotion of more than 75,000 paramilitary officers across various ranks, ending years of career stagnation.
He added that the ongoing recruitment of 60,000 young Nigerians into the four paramilitary agencies under the ministry represented another significant intervention.
“Politics and governance must ultimately be about improving the lives of the greater majority. In that regard, the Interior Ministry under Dr Tunji-Ojo has demonstrated that purposeful leadership can produce tangible results,” he said.
He described Tunji-Ojo as a source of pride to Ondo State, Nigerian youths and advocates of visionary and impactful leadership.