Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has said that powerful individuals within the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari exploited the controversy surrounding her NYSC certificate to force her out of office.
Adeosun made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, Inside Sources, excerpts of which were aired on Thursday. She resigned from office in 2018 after allegations emerged that she submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate as part of her official credentials.
According to Adeosun, the saga was deliberately used by her political opponents as an opportunity to remove her from the cabinet. She said she was fully aware that she had enemies who were eager to see her exit the government.
She explained that before resigning, she met with President Buhari to inform him of the situation and her intention to seek legal redress to clear her name. Adeosun said it would have been inappropriate to remain in government while simultaneously taking legal action against the federal government.
“I’m not confused about the fact that I had powerful enemies who I believed saw an opportunity. Let’s get rid of her,” she said.
She added that her decision to resign was guided by principle and personal integrity, noting that staying in office while suing the government would have been wrong.
“No one resigned in finance but I did. The day I resigned, I went to see the president. I told him I needed to leave, but I would go to court to clear my name,” Adeosun said.
According to her, Buhari supported her decision, stressing the importance of protecting one’s name and reputation for future generations.
In July 2021, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Adeosun could not be penalised or disqualified from holding public office due to the NYSC issue. The court held that she was under no legal obligation to present an NYSC certificate to occupy a public office.
However, the court did not make a definitive ruling on the allegation that the certificate in question was forged.
