A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, cleared former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, over controversy surrounding her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate scandal, which resulted in her resignation in 2018.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in his ruling on the originating summon with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/303/21 brought by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on her behalf, held that the NYSC certificate based on the constitution is not a mandatory requirement for holding a political office in the country.
Adeosun was the plaintiff in the suit while the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) was the sole defendant.
Justice Taiwo ruled that Adeosun was not qualified to have participated in the scheme when she graduated at 22 years because she was then a British citizen. The judge further held that as at when she formally returned to Nigeria, and became a Nigerian citizen, at over 30 years, she was not eligible to present herself for the NYSC service.
The judge ruled that Adeosun or anyone for that matter does not require a discharge certificate of NYSC to qualify to contest election to the House of Representatives or be appointed a Minister in Nigeria.
The judge proceeded to grant the four reliefs sought by the plaintiff, to include “a declaration that the plaintiff, being a United Kingdom citizen as at 1989 when she graduated from the University of East London, London, United Kingdom at the age of 22 years, was ineligible to participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme, established by the National Youth Service Corps Act, CAP N8, LFN, 2004.”
