Federal High Court in Abuja, has on Wednesday, cleared former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, of the alleged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate forgery, which resulted in her eventual resignation from office in 2018.
In 2018, a report by a National daily claimed she never partook in the mandatory one-year scheme, which is a prerequisite to take a government portfolio.
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According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while Adeosun was the plaintiff in the suit, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) was the sole defendant.
While delivering his ruling on the originating summon with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/303/21 brought by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on her behalf, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that Adeosun did not need NYSC certificate to take up any ministerial appointment or before standing for any elective office in the country.
Justice Taiwo held that Adeosun from available facts was a United Kingdom citizen having been born in the UK in 1967 and remained there till 2003 when she came back to Nigeria.
He held that Adeosun became a Nigerian citizen by virtue of the 1999 Constitution which came into force on May 29 of the year, therefore, the NYSC Act will have no effect on her.
The judge said Adeosun would have committed a grave crime against Nigeria if she had participated in the NYSC having attained the exemption age of 36 years.
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In her resignation letter in 2018, Adeosun explained that the investigation was true, but said she did not know the certificate was forged as she relied on associates who helped obtain it after she returned from the UK.
The former minister expressed her gratitude for the honour to serve her country, after which she traveled out of the country.
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Following this, Adeosun maintained a low profile after the incident — until the inauguration of the outfit where she made her first official public appearance.
Adeosun in June made first official public appearance to launch online thrift-for-charity initiative and the ceremony was graced by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
The store is established to mobilise resources for onward distribution to vulnerable people in the society via grassroots charities.
