Kemi Adeosun: NYSC certificate not needed for public service — court

A federal high court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ruled that National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate is not mandatory for appointment into political office in the country.

The court stated this as it delivered judgment on the certificate scandal involving former finance minister Kemi Adeosun.

Adeosun was embroiled in the forgery of an NYSC certificate, 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.

“I am of the view that denying the plaintiff of the reliefs sought is not going to be doing justice to the matter,” he said.

The judge, therefore, granted all the four reliefs sought by the former minister.

Taiwo noted that the Attorney General of the Federation, in his counter-affidavit, did not challenge the avirement 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 of her on accord.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while Adeosun was the plaintiff in the suit, the Attorney-General of the Federation was the sole defendant.