A Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared former Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adosun of the controversy over her participation or otherwise in the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) scheme which resulted in her eventual resignation from office in 2018. The presiding judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in a judgment on Wednesday, held that Adeosun was not qualified to have participated in the scheme when she graduated at 22 years because as of then, she was a British citizen, and when she formally returned to the country and became a citizen, she was over 30 years, which is above the eligibility age of the NYSC.
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 the NYSC certificate based on the constitution is not a mandatory requirement for holding a political office in the country.
The judge went ahead to grant the 4 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, the United Kingdom at the age of 22 years, was ineligible to participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme, established by the National Youth Service Corps Act, CAP N8, LFN, 2004.”
According to reports, while Adeosun was the plaintiff in the suit, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) was the sole defendant.
The judge then noted that 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 own accord.
