A Federal High Court in Abuja, has cleared the former finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, of the controversy over her participation in the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC), saying the certificate was not a mandatory requirement for holding political office.
The court stated this on Wednesday while delivering judgment on the certificate scandal involving the former Minister.
TheFact Nigeria recalled that Adeosun resigned in 2018 after she was accused of forging an NYSC certificate to enable her get into public office.
However the minister, who was accused of forgery, later filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
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.
Justice Taiwo held 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.
Justice Taiwo said the plaintiff or anyone did 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 Corpse scheme, established by the National Youth Service Corps Act, CAP N8, LFN, 2004.”
