The statement by Professor Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), that he doesn’t “bloody care” if Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance, underwent the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) or not is generating row with some critics describing him a charlatan or he maybe senile due to old age.
Following an investigation by Premium Times exposing how Adeosun skipped the NYSC programme and forged an exemption certificate, there have been calls, which have been ignored, for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Minister.
However, in quotes reported by TheNation, Sagay said he would never remove her were he the President.
“I don’t know why the government has not reacted. But, let me tell you my reaction. This woman is a brilliant and extremely valuable member of this government.
“A lot of the good things happening now – the welfare that Nigerians are enjoying and are going to enjoy, because it takes time, and the way our economy is booming, how we got out of recession – are due to her expertise, her commitment, her sacrifice.
“There is nothing in this world that will make me remove such a woman 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.”
Asked if it was not an offence to skip NYSC, Sagay said: “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.”
On the allegation that she forged an exemption certificate, he said: “I don’t believe it. I don’t see anything serious about not doing youth service. I don’t see anything serious about it. That’s my own bias, not government’s.
“I’m telling you now. If you ask me – If I were President Buhari, I would never, ever touch that woman because she’s damn good.
“The enemies of this government want to reduce his capacity to provide good governance by engaging in social media attacks and trying to get rid of her. It will not work.”
