Just in: Court rules on Kemi Adeosun’s case, says NYSC certificate not mandatory requirement for holding political offices
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, and presided over by Justice Taiwo Oladipupo Taiwo, on Wednesday, ruled on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate saga involving former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, absolving her of wrongdoing in the certificate scandal.
Adeosun had in 2018 resigned her position in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, as minister of finance.
Justice Taiwo, in his ruling on the originating summons with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/303/21 brought by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on behalf of Adeosun, held that the NYSC certificate based on the constitution was not a mandatory requirement for holding a political office in the country.
Adeosun was the plaintiff in the suit, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami was the sole defendant.
Ruling on the case, Justice Taiwo said: “I am of the view that denying the plaintiff of the reliefs sought is not going to be doing justice to the matter.
The Judge, therefore, granted all the four reliefs sought for determination by the former Minister.
Taiwo noted that the AGF, in his counter affidavit, did not challenge the averement of the plaintiff, wherein the defendant stated that the Federal Government did not withdraw the ministerial appointment of the plaintiff or ask her to resign, but that Adeosun resigned on her on accord.
A newspaper investigation had on 7 July, 2018 disclosed that Adeosun had illegally obtained her NYSC exemption certificate to get into public office.
According to the investigation, the Minister’s exemption certificate was purportedly signed in September 2009 by Yusuf Bomoi, a retired brigadier-general.
However, Bomoi officially left NYSC on February 13, 2009, giving rise to queries on the originality of the certificate.
On 9th July, NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Adeyemi Adenike released a statement that confirmed that Adeosun legitimately submitted a request for an exemption certificate, but also stated that investigations were still ongoing to verify the approval of the exemption certificate.
