Kemi Adeosun Flees To London, 24hrs After Resigning As Finance Minister

Mrs Kemi Adeosun has left the shores of Nigeria 24 hours after resigning as the Minister of Finance, and moments after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) warned that she may flee from arrest.

According to emerging reports, Mrs Adeosun arrived the British capital of London on Saturday, after resigning her office over NYSC certificate forgery on Friday.

Advertisement

The PDP had raised the alarm earlier today that the Federal Government was plotting to “secretly move the former minister out of the country” to enable her escape prosecution for certificate forgery.

The opposition party alerted that its “investigations reveal that the Federal Government, which earlier made efforts to defend Mrs. Adeosun, has already perfected a plot to help her to evade prosecution following fears that she could open up on the humongous corruption going on in the financial sector under the Buhari administration.

“The PDP is also aware of plots by the Federal Government to secretly move her out of the country, and for that we urge the international community to be alert and ensure she is repatriated to face justice in Nigeria should the Federal Government succeed in its devious plan,” the party had said in a release by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

Premium Times quoted sources close to the Minister as saying: “She has left Nigeria,” adding that “She most likely is in the UK by now.”

Advertisement

It was gathered that Mrs Adeosun never intended to resign her office over the certificate forgery scandal if not for actions taken against her by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Meanwhile, in her resignation letter to President Buhari on Friday, the Minister had explained that “I was born and raised in the United Kingdom, indeed my parental family home remains in London. My visits to Nigeria up until the age of thirty-four (34) were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK passport. I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of thirty-four (34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether NYSC Law applied to me. Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of thirty (30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events, that remained my understanding.”

Adeosun said, “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 nor 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 commended President Buhari for his, “patience and support, during the long search for the truth in this matter. I thank you again for giving me the honour of serving under your leadership, it is a rare privilege, which I do not take for granted. As a Nigerian and committed progressive, I appreciate you for your dogged commitment to improving this nation.”

Leave a comment

Advertisement