Court Clears Ex-Finance Minister, Adeosun, Over NYSC Saga- Says She’s Ineligible For Service

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ruled that former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, was ineligible for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The court said she was not supposed to present herself for National Youth Service because under the 1979 Constitution, which was in force at the time of her graduation, she was not a Nigerian citizen either at the time of her graduation or when she turned 30.

According to the ruling, the constitution does not require her to present her first-degree certificate or any other certificate, including the NYSC certificate, to be appointed a minister in 2015.

The court, presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo,,ruled that the ministerial appointment of Adeosun was not illegal, neither was it unconstitutional, even without presenting the NYSC certificate.

In its ruling on a suit for constitutional interpretation filed at the court in March 2021 by the firm of Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) on behalf of Adeosun, the court said since the 1979 constitution, which was in force at the time did not recognise dual citizenship, Adeosun could not have served because she was a British citizen.

Adeosun graduated from the University of East London in 1989 at the age of 22.

The court ruled that Nigeria citizenship only reverted under extant constitution by which time Adeosun was well above 30, and by the court ruling ineligible to participate in NYSC scheme as the scheme is exclusively reserved for Nigeria.