Politics
Adeosun’s Resignation: Frills, Thrills And Questions
The resignation of the estranged Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, last Friday, has expectedly raised a lot of dust in Nigeria’s polity. So much have been said, so many inferences, insinuations and accusations, some of which could pass-on as selfishly motivated.
Beyond this, however, the issue of a government official resigning from office as a result of matters relating to malfeasance is to a large extent alien to Nigeria. That the official in question is the Minister of Finance, who, by Nigerian standard, must be the “right-hand” person of the Chief Executive, in this case Mr. President, makes it the more too good to be true. This is because the President, by Nigerian standard, has enough powers to make his wish come true.
Among the numerous inferences, insinuations and accusations, a couple stands out, both in the context of who made them, as well as the manifest and latent contents therein, especially in the light of what genuinely concerned Nigerians seek in those who lead them.
There were calls for Adeosun’s prosecution from all corners on charges of forgery in accordance with the dictates of the NYSC Act. Expectedly, top of the calls came from people who are pro Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the key opposition political party.
Contrarily, to Professor Itse Sagay, Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), the Minister should not be sacked because ‘she’s damn good’.
“There is nothing in this world that will make me remove such a woman (if he was President) from the government. The PDP can weep from now until there is no tear in their body; she is going to be there. We cannot afford to lose that woman.
“Who cares about youth service? I don’t bloody care whether she did youth service or not. It’s irrelevant as far as I am concerned”, Professor Sagay was quoted by “Pulse”, an online newspaper on the 10th of August, 2018.
In her resignation letter to the President, Adeosun explained that she did not know and was not in a position to decipher the authenticity of the NYSC certificate issued her haven been born and bred in Britain till she was 34 years, based on the findings of Premium Times.
According to her, upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of 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 or 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,” she said.
Considering that what genuinely concerned Nigerians feel about the whole saga is hinged on the stance of the incumbent administration on corruption, the attention given the issue is understandable and seen to be guided by two salient questions: How did we get here? What is the way forward?
The whole issue started when, in July, Premium Times, an online news medium, broke the news that the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, “did not participate in the mandatory one-year national youth service scheme. Instead, she forged an exemption certificate years after graduation”.
For clarity sake, the year-long service is organized by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and is made compulsory for all Nigerians who graduate from universities, or equivalent institutions before attaining 30 years of age. It is a key requirement for jobs in Nigeria, both in the public and private sectors.
Consequently, there is an enabling law to enforce it, which not only prescribes punishment for anyone who absconds from the scheme, but also forges its certificate.
The implication is that Nigerians who skip the service will not be employed in Nigeria, and will be liable to 12 months prison sentence and/or #2,000 fines, in accordance with Section 13 of the NYSC law. Also, Section 13(3) of the law prescribes 3-year jail term or an option of #5,000 fines for anyone who contravenes provisions of the law as Adeosun did.
Section 13(4) of the law also criminalises giving false information, or illegally obtaining the agency’s certificate and provides for 3-year jail term for such offenders.
The crux of the matter, as revealed by Premium Times, is that the estranged Finance Minister graduated at 22 years from the “Polytechnic of East London” in 1989, but did not come back home to participate in the one-year service, even after returning to Nigeria in 2002. She rather accepted a job offer at a private firm, “Chapel Hill Denham”. Moreover, her certificate bears “University of East London”, the name the institution change to in 1992
She finally got an “Exemption Letter” from the NYSC in 2009, dated September 9 precisely, and purportedly signed by Yusuf Bomoi, a former Director-General of the NYSC.
According to Premium Times, officials of NYSC said the retired Brigadier General, who died in September 2017, could not have signed any certificate for the corps eight months after his retirement in January 2009.
Using the purported fake NYSC certificate, Mrs. Adeosun worked for two private Nigerian companies and was appointed Commissioner by the Ogun State Government before becoming the Finance Minister.
Section 12 of the NYSC Act states that: “For the purposes of employment anywhere in the federation and before employment, it shall be the duty of every prospective employer to demand and obtain from any person who claims to have obtained his First Degree at the end of the academic year 1973-74 or, as the case may be, at the end of any subsequent academic year the following:-
(a) a copy of the Certificate of National Service of such person issued pursuant to section 11 of this Decree (b) a copy of any exemption certificate issued to such person pursuant to section 17 of this Decree (c) such other particulars relevant there to as may be prescribed by or under this Decree.”
The import of the above is that it is illegal to hire a person who graduated but failed to make himself or herself available to serve, or falsify any document to the effect that he or she has served or exempted from serving. Herein lays the bone of contention.
What this means in essence is that while Mrs Adeosun’s qualification and capability is not in doubt, she and her employees in Nigeria are guilty of illegality. But, as has become normal in Nigerian politics, the issue at stake was given various interpretations, in the same way her resignation last Friday was.
Taken from the context of President Mohammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption, this issue is one which for a long time will be weighed by the standard set in tackling issues relating to corruption.
It will be recalled that on assumption of office in 2015, President Buhari was quoted by various media to have zero tolerance for corruption. According to him, “Corruption is a hydra-headed monster and a cankerworm that undermines the fabric of all societies. It does not differentiate between developed and developing countries. It constitutes a serious threat to good governance, rule of law, peace and security, as well as development programmes aimed at tackling poverty and economic backwardness,” hence “it must be fought on all fronts”.
The key question that readily begs for answer is whether the law in Nigeria is a respecter of person. If not, as far as the NYSC Act is concerned, the two companies, Ogun State Government and the Federal Government that hired Adeosun’s services should share in the illegality of the issue. It is therefore not enough for Adesoun to just resign, as honourable as such action may be, even as it was belated in her case.
Anything less than bringing all the parties involved in the illegality will not only put a huge question in the President Buhari’s popular saying that he “stands for nobody, and for everybody”, but will also confirm what many Nigerians feel, that the declaration is a sham.
Daily Trust newspaper summarised this in its August 28, 2018 edition when it stated: “Although personal integrity, self-respect and respect for the law are no longer a requirement for high office in Nigeria, the truth is that Adeosun’s position is untenable. The excuse that the Exemption Certificate was obtained on her behalf simply doesn’t hold water. The scandal is a stain on the reputation of an administration which came to office brandishing integrity”.
The implication is that everybody involved in this high level forgery, from the erstwhile Minister, to those she stated as “trusted associates” and whoever has employed her, has a question to answer because, one way or another, they have desecrated the Rule of Law in Nigeria.
Soibi Max-Alalibo
Politics
2024 Budget: Funds Were Shared Among Senators -Abaribe
The lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has explained how the Zonal Intervention Project funds were shared among senators.
Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday revealed that ranking senators got N500 million each while he got nothing.
Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.
Speaking on the development on a live television interview on Wednesday, Senator Abaribe denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Senator Jarigbe.
Senator Abaribe said he got N266 million from the money allocated to lawmakers in the six geo-political zones.
According to him, lawmakers from some zones, like the Northwest, which has seven states, would expect to get less than what he got, as his Southeast zone has only five states.
He said, “I have been saying that all fingers are not equal and by privilege of office, certain people will get but not every Senator gets an equal amount.
“These are six zones in the country, and every zone gets its own N10 billion in intervention. Now, if you are from the Northwest zone, because you have seven states, the senator will get less than me who comes from the five-state zone.
“My state, Abia, gets N2 billion and if we break it down for both the Senate and the representatives, the Senate is getting 40% and the House gets 60%.
“I got about N266 million as zonal intervention. The person in the Northwest who has seven states, will necessarily get less, about a hundred million and something.
“So it’s not correct when we say every constituency must get an equal amount.”
Politics
Dump PDP, Enhance Your Value, APC Woos Gov Mutfwang
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has been advised to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that his good works and value can appreciate more.
The call was made on Wednesday by the North Central APC Forum in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during the forum’s first quarter of the year meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, the APC Forum Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, said they were meeting to review the state of the party in the region as well as the region’s economic and security situation, adding that the position of the Plateau State Governor was vital in the overall development of the region.
Zazzaga, who was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the last election, commended Governor Mutfwang for carrying the citizenry along in his developmental efforts, noting that his approach to boost peace and security of the state as well as his calm personality was impressive.
However, he said for the governor to attain a robust and exhaustive achievement of his agenda, policies and the development of Plateau State, he should defect to the APC.
He said the governor’s defection would not amount to relegating his former party to the background, but would rather strengthen him more to develop Plateau State.
According to the Chairman, the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, is a good example of someone who seeks development for his people and the nation at large, using any vital and handy platform or party to advance his cause.
“Governor Caleb Mutfwang has so far shown that he is a progressive governor through his works, words and deeds since assuming office. But for him to advance more, he should consider joining the APC.
“This is because joining the APC will put him on the same page with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has the interest of Plateau in his heart and has been doing his best to advance it.
“Besides, Governor Mutfwang will be on the same page with his other counterparts in the North Central who are of the APC, and together they will have a common ground and work for the interest and development of the region in general and their specific states in particular.
“Also, most of the legislators from the state are in APC, and they can work hand-in-hand to move the state forward, because the relationship between the executive and the legislature cannot be overemphasized in the pursuance of progress and development.
Politics
Step Aside Over Alleged Budget Padding, PDP Urges Akpabio
The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) on Wednesday demanded that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately steps aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
In a statement released by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, the main opposition party also demanded that Akpabio immediately report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case relating to N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State, allegedly looted under his watch as the governor.
The party similarly told the Senate President to speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam that allegedly occurred in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The PDP condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the Senate “without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.”
Recall that Ningi blew the whistle on the alleged unexplained N3.7 trillion inserted into the budget, leading to his suspension from the chamber for allegedly disparaging the legislature.
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