Certificate saga: I resigned from Buhari’s cabinet to fight for my integrity in court, says Kemi Adeosun

The Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has disclosed that she resigned from late President Muhammed Buhari cabinet in 2028 to go to court for her integrity and to clear her name over the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate scandal

Penpushing reports that Adeosun who graduated from the University of East London in 1989 at the age of 22 made the explanation in a television interview adding that she equally got the consent of Buhari before her resignation decision, emphasizing that she made a principled decision to protect the integrity of public office rather than a concession of guilt

“People kept asking, why did I resign? That no one resigns as Minister of Finance as I did. I still think it was the right thing for me to do. My resignation is a matter of principle and not an admission of wrongdoing. It was a step to protect the Office of the Minister of Finance and defend my reputation,” she stated.

Penpushing further reports that Adeosun stated that she considered it wrong for her to be in office while pursuing legal redress, stressing that she can’t be attending local and international meetings as Minister of Finance at same time appearing in court in a case of integrity and reputation.

“I can’t be attending local and international meetings as Minister of Finance and also appearing in court in a case of integrity and reputation. I knew I would need to go to court to clear my name, and doing so was not compatible with being Minister of Finance, representing Nigeria at the highest level’, she said

Penpushing also reports that Adeosun dismissed the idea of suing the government while holding one of its top economic positions, recalling her final conversation with Buhari, who supported her decision

“I went to see Mr President, and I said, ‘Mr President, I need to go. I need to go to court because I have to clear my name. These names are leased from our children and our grandchildren. You don’t destroy your name because you want to stay as minister,” she added.

Penpushing  further reports that it would be recalled that the controversy that forced her resignation revolved around her National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) status, and in July 2021, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that she was never legally required to participate in the scheme, as she was not a Nigerian citizen at the time of graduation or when she turned 30 — the cut-off age for compulsory service.

The judge Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who delivered the judgment, said her ministerial appointment was neither illegal nor unconstitutional, as the constitution did not mandate the presentation of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

Penpushing also reports that Adeosun’s legal representation, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had filed the suit in March 2021 to challenge the eligibility claim.

The court held that the 1979 constitution, under which Adeosun graduated, did not recognise dual citizenship, which disqualified her from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), stressing that by the time citizenship laws changed in her favour, she had already passed the age limit.

Penpushing reports that after leaving government, has channelled her energy into DashMe Stores, a charity initiative she launched in 2021, explaining that the non-profit has so far raised over N500million to support orphanages and vulnerable communities.

The former Minister disclosed that the project started in 2021 with one store, boasting that as at now there are locations in Lagos and Abuja, with a plan launch outlets in Abeokuta, Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt and more parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

‘We’re now on our fifth store and expanding. DashMe has locations in Lagos and Abuja, with plans to launch outlets in Abeokuta, Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt and more parts of the FCT’, she stated.

“We started in 2021 with one store. We’re now on our fifth store and expanding,” she said. DashMe has locations in Lagos and Abuja, with plans to launch outlets in Abeokuta, Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt and more parts of the FCT’, Adeosun added.

Penpushing further reports that she stated that the initiative is fully charitable, emphasizing that DashMe has built four orphanages, renovated several others and revived abandoned projects.

The initiator of the project pointed out that some setbacks had occurred, including a recent act of vandalism and on poverty, Adeosun insisted it should be viewed from a global lens.

“Children’s lives are unstable enough without landlords issuing quit notices. They deserve to be in their own homes. It was painful, especially because it was pointless. But we’ll soldier on and complete the project,” she added.

“Every country has a metric for classifying poverty. Because of our numbers, there will always be a core of poverty that remains. What matters is whether people are able to move from poverty into the middle or lower-middle class. The worst kind of poverty is generational poverty, where generation after generation remains poor with no social mobility’, she stated

Penpushing also reports that she explained that on her part the real target is social mobility and maintained that education and enterprise remain the most effective ways out of poverty, creating ripple effects across households and communities.

The former Minister, however, challenged Nigerians to take the lead in development rather than waiting on the government, and beyond the legal clarification, Adeosun weighed in on ongoing economic reforms, especially fuel subsidy and taxation.

Penpushing reports that she maintained that subsidy payments were unsustainable and well understood as a fiscal burden within government circles, and warned that subsidy funds had been draining key sectors of the economy.

“There was no minister who did not know that subsidy was killing us. We had consumption figures of about 65 million litres per day with only about 10 million cars. It was not possible. Money spent on subsidy is money you can’t spend on roads, education or health,” she said.

Penpushing further reports that Adeosun while supporting reforms, stressed the need for long-term buffers, adding that there is need for structural solutions and not just palliatives, to help people absorb policy changes.

“You need structural solutions, not just palliatives, to help people absorb policy changes. When you’re Minister of Finance, the word ‘no’ becomes your watchword. If your finance minister is loved by everybody, they’re probably not doing much of a job,” she added.

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