—Unveils Alleged NYSC Certificate Fraud

A legal practitioner, Daisi Onetufo, has submitted a fresh petition to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, challenging the eligibility of Dr. Olumuyiwa Daramola over alleged non-compliance with National Youth Service Corps requirements.

In the petition dated May 6, 2026, and addressed to the APC National Secretary, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Onetufo alleged that Daramola presented a National Youth Service Corps Certificate of Exemption obtained through what he described as “material misrepresentation.”

The petition, signed by Daisi Onetufo Esq., was also copied to the Chairman of the APC Screening Committee for Ondo State and the Inspector General of Police.

Onetufo said the petition was a follow-up to an earlier letter dated April 28, 2024, on the same matter.

He stated, “It has come to my attention that Dr. Olumuyiwa Daramola has now presented a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate of Exemption dated 17 April 2024, indicating that he attended Capella University and graduated on 31 December 2021.”

The lawyer argued that the date on the exemption certificate corresponded with Daramola’s Doctor of Public Health qualification and not his first university degree required for NYSC purposes.

He said, “You will recall that we had earlier submitted copies of a Master of Science certificate dated 31 August 2016 and a Doctor of Public Health certificate dated 31 December 2021, both attributed to Dr. Daramola. Curiously, his academic record omits any mention of his initial qualifying university degree.”

Citing provisions of the NYSC Act, Onetufo maintained that every Nigerian graduate, including those who studied abroad, must fulfil national service requirements unless exempted in accordance with the law.

He quoted Section 2(2)(a) of the Act as stating, “A person shall not be called upon to serve in the service corps if, at the date of his graduation or obtaining his diploma or other professional qualification, he is over the age of thirty.”

The petitioner further argued that the term “graduation” under the Act refers to an individual’s first qualifying degree and not postgraduate qualifications such as a master’s degree or doctorate.

Onetufo also referenced NYSC eligibility guidelines, which he said recognise only first degrees such as B.Sc, B.A and HND for exemption consideration.

According to him, the exemption certificate allegedly contained discrepancies relating to the year of graduation, institution attended, course of study and age at graduation.

He stated, “The Certificate of Exemption reflects 31 December 2021 as the year of graduation. However, this date corresponds to the purported completion of a Doctor of Public Health degree and not his first qualifying degree for NYSC purposes.”

On the institution listed on the certificate, the lawyer said, “The Certificate of Exemption lists Capella University as the institution of graduation. However, Capella University is only associated with the alleged Doctor of Public Health degree. It is not the institution from which he obtained his primary qualifying degree for national service.”

He further alleged inconsistencies in the course of study stated on the exemption certificate.

“The Certificate of Exemption states the course of study as Public Health. However, based on Dr. Daramola’s own representations of his academic history, he has never claimed to have obtained Public Health as his initial qualifying degree,” he said.

Onetufo also raised questions over Daramola’s age at the time of obtaining his academic qualifications.

He said, “By his own representation, Dr. Daramola completed a Master of Science degree on 31 August 2016 at the age of thirty-one. Consequently, he does not meet the requirement under Section 2(2)(a) of the Act.”

The lawyer insisted that the exemption certificate was “fundamentally defective” and incapable of conferring legal benefit because it was allegedly obtained using inaccurate and misleading information.

He stated, “Compliance with the provisions of Section 2 of the National Youth Service Corps Act is a condition precedent to eligibility for elective office in Nigeria.”

Onetufo further alleged that Daramola knowingly or recklessly made false statements while obtaining the certificate of exemption, adding that such conduct could attract penalties under the NYSC Act.

He concluded, “Accordingly, I respectfully reiterate our position that Dr. Olumuyiwa Daramola is not qualified to contest for elective office, and I urge the leadership of the party to take immediate steps to address this issue in accordance with the law.”

The petition was signed by Daisi Onetufo Esq., Legal Practitioner.