Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has received a favourable judgement at a court sitting in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
Recall that in 2018, Mrs Adeosun resigned as a federal minister following controversies over the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate she presented to the National Assembly when she was to be screened for the job.
It was alleged that the document she submitted was forged. She had also used the same item to hold a political position in Ogun State, where she served as the Commissioner for Finance under the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
An online newspaper, Premium Times, exposed the NYSC certification forgery saga, which led to her exit from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
After her resignation, Mrs Adeosun returned to the United Kingdom, where she lived and studied before returning home to serve the Ogun State government.
On Wednesday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in his judgment on the originating summon with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/303/21 brought by Wole Olanipekun (SAN) on behalf of the former Minister, held that the NYSC certificate based on the constitution is not a mandatory requirement for holding a political office in the country.
Last month, after about two years of being away from the spotlight, Mrs Adeosun resurfaced with the launch of her organisation, Dash Me Foundation with the Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo in attendance.
When in September 2018 Mrs Adeosun resigned, she claimed she was never aware that her NYSC certificate of exemption was not genuine.
According to her, the certificate was given to her through a third party, but said, “On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates, NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status.
“I then received the certificate in question. Having never worked in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to nor familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything but genuine.”
