The embattled Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has finally resigned after much pressure.
The 51-year-old former minister who
resigned on Friday is reported to have taken the action following
pressure arising from her questionable NYSC discharge certificate.
resigned on Friday is reported to have taken the action following
pressure arising from her questionable NYSC discharge certificate.
In November 2015, Adeosun was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Finance by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kemi was born in 1967 in London, England to Nigerian parents from Ogun State.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree
in Economics from the University of East London and a Postgraduate
Diploma in Public Financial Management from the University of London.
in Economics from the University of East London and a Postgraduate
Diploma in Public Financial Management from the University of London.
She qualified as a Chartered Accountant
with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1994
and she was qualified for NYSC exemption on return to Nigeria after
clocking above 30 years of age.
with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1994
and she was qualified for NYSC exemption on return to Nigeria after
clocking above 30 years of age.
The story has been out there that Adeosun forged her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
Although she was above 30 when she
returned to Nigeria, she was not qualified to obtain an exemption
because she got her first degree when she was in her 20s.
returned to Nigeria, she was not qualified to obtain an exemption
because she got her first degree when she was in her 20s.
The fake exemption certificate that she obtained through a third party was what caused her fall.
She initially ignored the forgery report, but her handlers later explained that she was not guilty.
They painted those digging into the story as mischief-makers who wanted to pull down a woman of substance.
The NYSC headquarters also came up with a
terse statement that she indeed applied for an exemption and that it
was looking into the matter.
terse statement that she indeed applied for an exemption and that it
was looking into the matter.
Some citizens had dragged her to the
Federal High Court in Abuja which has fixed October 8 to hear the suit
asking it to sack her from office.
Federal High Court in Abuja which has fixed October 8 to hear the suit
asking it to sack her from office.
The Chief Judge of the high court,
Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, assigned the suit marked
FHC/ABJ/CS/712/2018, to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu for expeditious hearing.
Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, assigned the suit marked
FHC/ABJ/CS/712/2018, to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu for expeditious hearing.
The suit was filed by a Mr. Francis
Obalim, a lawyer who approached the court, praying for an order quashing
and setting aside Mrs. Adeosun’s appointment as a Minister of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Obalim, a lawyer who approached the court, praying for an order quashing
and setting aside Mrs. Adeosun’s appointment as a Minister of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Her appointment, he said, circumvented
the condition precedent and in contravention of mandatory Sections 12,
13 and 14 of the NYSC Act which is an integral part of the 1999
Constitution, as amended.
the condition precedent and in contravention of mandatory Sections 12,
13 and 14 of the NYSC Act which is an integral part of the 1999
Constitution, as amended.
The news of her resignation burst the social media, recording more than 15,000 tweets one hour after.
Dr. Joe AbahVerified account @DrJoeAbah
tweeted: “I have just received, with sadness, news that Kemi Adeosun has
resigned. She is a talented, courageous woman who drove a lot of
important reforms as Minister of Finance. However,
the NYSC saga had made her position untenable & the situation was
only going to go from bad to worse.’’
tweeted: “I have just received, with sadness, news that Kemi Adeosun has
resigned. She is a talented, courageous woman who drove a lot of
important reforms as Minister of Finance. However,
the NYSC saga had made her position untenable & the situation was
only going to go from bad to worse.’’
Some people have praised her as one of the few Nigerians that have dared to resign from office.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State Budget
and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, has been appointed to oversee
the Ministry of Finance, henceforth.
and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, has been appointed to oversee
the Ministry of Finance, henceforth.
The appointment was announced by President Muhammadu Buhari Friday, after
accepting the resignation of the holder,
Adeosun.
accepting the resignation of the holder,
Adeosun.
The President thanked the Minister for her services to the nation and wished her well in her future pursuits.
Ahmed was born in Kaduna State. She got
her first degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981,
after-which she proceeded to Ogun State University for her MBA.
her first degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981,
after-which she proceeded to Ogun State University for her MBA.
Until Friday, Adeosun kept quiet until
she was faced with a report that concurred with the publication and
declared the certificate fake.
she was faced with a report that concurred with the publication and
declared the certificate fake.
In her letter of resignation to President Buhari, Adeosun said:
“I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation
into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of
Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented
was not genuine. This has come as a shock to
me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on
integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign”, she wrote in her
letter to President Buhari.’’
“I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation
into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of
Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented
was not genuine. This has come as a shock to
me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on
integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign”, she wrote in her
letter to President Buhari.’’
Below is the full text of Mrs Adeosun’s resignation letter
dated 14th September, 2018
dated 14th September, 2018
His Excellency
Muhammadu Buhari
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
State House
Aso Villa
Abuja
Dear Excellency,
Let me commence by thanking you profusely
for the honour and privilege of serving under your inspirational
leadership. It has been a truly rewarding experience to learn from you
and to observe at close quarters your integrity
and sense of duty.
for the honour and privilege of serving under your inspirational
leadership. It has been a truly rewarding experience to learn from you
and to observe at close quarters your integrity
and sense of duty.
I have, today, become privy to the
findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online
medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service
Corp (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine. This
has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this
administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and
resign.
findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online
medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service
Corp (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine. This
has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this
administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and
resign.
Your Excellency, kindly permit me to
outline some of the background to this matter. I was born and raised in
the United Kingdom, indeed my parental family home remains in London. My
visits to Nigeria up until the age of thirty-four
(34) were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK passport.
I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of thirty-four
(34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether NYSC Law
applied to me.
Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed
that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of thirty
(30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events,
that remained my understanding.
outline some of the background to this matter. I was born and raised in
the United Kingdom, indeed my parental family home remains in London. My
visits to Nigeria up until the age of thirty-four
(34) were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK passport.
I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of thirty-four
(34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether NYSC Law
applied to me.
Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed
that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of thirty
(30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events,
that remained my understanding.
On the basis of that advice and with the
guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates,
NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status. I then received
the certificate in question. Having never worked
in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to nor familiar with their
operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything
but genuine. Indeed, I presented that certificate at the 2011 Ogun
State House of Assembly and in 2015 for Directorate
of State Services (DSS) Clearance as well as to the National Assembly
for screening. Be that as it may, as someone totally committed to a
culture of probity and accountability I have decided to resign with
effect from Friday, 14th September, 2018.
guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates,
NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status. I then received
the certificate in question. Having never worked
in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to nor familiar with their
operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything
but genuine. Indeed, I presented that certificate at the 2011 Ogun
State House of Assembly and in 2015 for Directorate
of State Services (DSS) Clearance as well as to the National Assembly
for screening. Be that as it may, as someone totally committed to a
culture of probity and accountability I have decided to resign with
effect from Friday, 14th September, 2018.
Your Excellency, It has
been an exceptional privilege to have served our nation under your
leadership and to have played a role in steering our economy at a very
challenging time. I am proud
that Nigeria has brought discipline into its finances, has identified
and is pursuing a path to long term sustainable growth that will unlock
the potential in this great economy. Under your leadership, Nigeria was
able to exit recession and has now started
to lay the foundations for lasting growth and wealth creation.
Repositioning this huge economy is not a short term task and there are
no short cuts, indeed there are tough decisions still to be made but I
have no doubt that your focus on infrastructural investment,
revenue mobilisation and value for money in public expenditure will
deliver growth, wealth and opportunity for all Nigerians.
been an exceptional privilege to have served our nation under your
leadership and to have played a role in steering our economy at a very
challenging time. I am proud
that Nigeria has brought discipline into its finances, has identified
and is pursuing a path to long term sustainable growth that will unlock
the potential in this great economy. Under your leadership, Nigeria was
able to exit recession and has now started
to lay the foundations for lasting growth and wealth creation.
Repositioning this huge economy is not a short term task and there are
no short cuts, indeed there are tough decisions still to be made but I
have no doubt that your focus on infrastructural investment,
revenue mobilisation and value for money in public expenditure will
deliver growth, wealth and opportunity for all Nigerians.
I thank His Excellency, the
Vice President and my colleagues in the Federal Executive Council for
the huge pleasure and honour of working with them. I also thank most
specially, the team
in the ‘Finance Family’ of advisers and heads of agencies
under the Ministry of Finance. Your Excellency, this group of committed
Nigerians represent a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. They
have worked well
above and beyond the call of duty to support me in the tasks assigned.
The diversity in my team and their ability to work cohesively to deliver
reforms, convinces me that Nigeria has the human capital required to
succeed.
Vice President and my colleagues in the Federal Executive Council for
the huge pleasure and honour of working with them. I also thank most
specially, the team
in the ‘Finance Family’ of advisers and heads of agencies
under the Ministry of Finance. Your Excellency, this group of committed
Nigerians represent a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. They
have worked well
above and beyond the call of duty to support me in the tasks assigned.
The diversity in my team and their ability to work cohesively to deliver
reforms, convinces me that Nigeria has the human capital required to
succeed.
Your Excellency, let me conclude by
commending your patience and support, during the long search for the
truth in this matter. I thank you again for giving me the honour of
serving under your leadership, it is a rare privilege,
which I do not take for granted. As a Nigerian and committed
progressive, I
appreciate you for your dogged commitment to improving this nation.
commending your patience and support, during the long search for the
truth in this matter. I thank you again for giving me the honour of
serving under your leadership, it is a rare privilege,
which I do not take for granted. As a Nigerian and committed
progressive, I
appreciate you for your dogged commitment to improving this nation.
Please be assured, as always, of my highest regards and best wishes
Kemi Adeosun (Mrs)
