An anti-corruption group, the Say No Campaign, has hailed the judgement of the federal high court Abuja which cleared former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, over the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate saga.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had ruled that Adeosun did not need to have a first degree or any other certificate before she could be appointed as a minister in the country.
The group said the ruling will encourage Nigerians in the Diapora, who had been deterred by the belief that they must undergo the NYSC service, to return home and contribute their skills in developing the country.
The convener of the group, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, in a statement in Abuja while commending the judgement of the federal high court, said it is now clear from the outcome of the court judgement that Mrs Adeosun was a victim of the system we run as a country.
He said, “From the onset, she has maintained her innocence, even though there are people who were determined to see her removed as minister of finance for whatever reason. Many Nigerians were made to believe that she graduated at 22, she skipped NYSC and therefore any certificate she possessed must have been forged. This court judgement has debunked this argument completely.
“The court through this judgement has affirmed Adeosun’s assertion that she was not required to perform NYSC and this has been her position throughout the matter.”
According to Mr Ezenwa, it is now clear that most Nigerians have been misled through orchestrated media report to believe that the former minister forged an exemption certificate and she knew the certificate she held was fake, adding that this is far from the truth.
He said by seeking the legal process, Mrs Adeosun has again opened the doors for Nigerians in diapora who had been deterred by the belief that they must undergo the NYSC service, to come home and contribute to the growth of the country.
“This will attract many with skills from the diaspora who want to settle or work for the development of Nigeria. It means Nigeria can tap into her extensive resource bank, especially in the much needed medical and social fields who were born and brought up in the diaspora who had been deterred by the prospect of undertaking NYSC in their 30s, 40s and even 50s,” he said.
