NYSC SCANDAL: Finance minister Adeosun finally resigns

The minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has reportedly resigned from her position.

It was not clear when she submitted her resignation letter, as sources within the ministry said she was sighted within the ministry premises as at Friday afternoon.

Daily Trust quoted sources within the ministry as revealing that she had submitted her letter to the president, noting that the allegations around her was hurting the government.

Adeosun for over 66 days now had been maintaining a forced silence over allegations that she forged an exemption letter of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The minister was alleged to have skipped the mandatory one-year NYSC scheme and forged the certificate which indicated she was exempted from participating in the service.

The one-year-long service is compulsory for all Nigerians who graduate from universities or equivalent institutions before the age of 30.

Adeosun’s purported NYSC exemption certificate was issued in September 2009, granting her exemption from the mandatory service on account of age.

The minister reportedly graduated from the Polytechnic of East London, which is now University of East London, in 1989 at the age of 22.

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At 22, it was obligatory for her to participate in the one-year service before taking up any job as a Nigerian. Instead, she took up some jobs in the private and public sectors in England until 2002 when she returned to Nigeria to accept a job offer at Chapel Hill Denham. She later procured the purported Certificate of Exemption in 2009.

In 2009, Adeosun was 42 years old since she was born in March 1967, according to her curriculum vitae. This, however, raised doubt over the authenticity of the certificate since the corps does not issue exemption certificate to anyone who graduates before turning 30.

More than two months after the allegation, widespread discussions emerged on the moral and the legal actions expected of the minister and President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

The NYSC had, in a statement, in July 9 said it would investigate the claim, but about ten weeks after, the corps failed to address the public on the progress made in its investigation.

Last month, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had disclosed that the appropriate agency was still investigating the certificate, adding that President Buhari would act after the probe.

Also, the Presidency had last week, while making its first public comment on the matter, said the allegations against a key member of the administration were yet to be proven.

The Presidency stated this through the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, during an interview in a Television Programme.

According to Shehu, “the minister of information has spoken on the matter. And a process is ongoing to address the allegations. When that process is complete, Nigerians will know the outcome.

“Some people want a particular outcome and because they are yet to see this outcome, they are not happy. Give it (investigation) time. There is a process ongoing.

“It’s an allegation. If it is proven, you will see what will happen. The minister and the NYSC have spoken on the matter.”

Worried by the delay in response by the present administration, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, a nongovernmental organization petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, demanding an investigation into the claims against the minister.

The petition was followed by a Freedom of Information (FOI) to NYSC the Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) requesting for the details of the certificate allegedly forged. Thereafter, SERAP filed a law suit against NYSC for its failure to reveal details of the certificate.

 

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