The National Youth Service Corps says a former Minister of Aviation and senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Stella Oduah, did not complete the mandatory national youth service.
In a letter replying to the request by the Concerned Anambra North Peoples Democratic Party Stakeholders, which sought to validate the Oduah’s claim that she lost her NYSC certificate, NYSC Director-General said though Oduah was mobilised for national service in 1982/83 year and was deployed to Lagos State, she absconded after the orientation and never completed the service.
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“The consequence of this is that she is not qualified for the issuance of the certificate of national service”, the Director-General wrote in the letter signed on his behalf by Eddy Megwa.
The letter, dated 24th, May 2022, with reference number NYSC/DHQ/PPRU/783/ VILIII, was obtained by Daily Trust.
Oduah had, in 2014, deposed to an affidavit and obtained a police extract where she stated that she sometime in 2010 while in transit from Akili in Ogboru Local Government Area to Abuja she discovered that some of her personal belongings were missing, including “National Youth Service Corps Certificate 1983.”
However, the Concerned Anambra North Peoples Democratic Party Stakeholders wrote to the NYSC Director-General to issue them with a certified true copy of the certificate of national service with the Youth Service Corps issued to Stella Adaeze Oduah in 1982/83.
The group had earlier written to the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party to order Oduah to produce her NYSC certificate or be disqualified from participating in the party’s primary for Anambra North senatorial election.
Oduah’s case is similar to that of Kemi Adeosun, a former Minister of Finance, who was forced to step down after it was exposed that she forged her NYSC certificate.
Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, yesterday called for Oduah’s recall and prosecution.
In an interview with Daily Trust, Adegboruwa said Oduah should be arrested, tried for perjury, barred from seeking any elective positions and made to refund salaries and allowances she received as aviation minister during the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration and senator.
Maureen Onochie & Afeez Hanafi
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