Confusion over Adeosun’s Reported Resignation

By Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

There was confusion Friday over reports that Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had resigned over allegation that she forged her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate. 

Citing sources, some online reports said that the minister tendered her resignation letter over the NYSC certificate scandal.

No official statement has been issued confirming or denying the reports.

However, when THISDAY visited the Ministry of Finance headquarters, confusion pervaded the atmosphere as none of the officials could confirm the minister’s resignation.

Her official car was parked at the minister’s parking lot.

Prodded to confirm whether or not Adeosun had resigned, the Director (Press) in the ministry, Hassan Dodo, said he was not aware.

He said, “Before God and man, I am not aware of anything. If I have any information, I will not hide it from you.”

At the seventh floor of the ministry where the minister’s office is, her security detail and other close aides were seen at their duty posts.

Some of them who spoke with THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, said the minister was in her office working.

One of them said it was unlikely that the minister would resign at this time when a high-level team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is billed to visit next month.

Her Special Adviser on media, Mr. Yinka Akintunde, was reluctant to see journalists.

When contacted by THISDAY, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, said he had not been brief on such development.

The News Agency of Nigeria, a federal government-owned news content provider, said the minister had resigned. NAN said, “although no official statement has been released on the issue, reliable sources confirmed her resignation on Friday.”

But senior officials of the ministry told journalists at about 3:15pm Friday that the minister did not resign her appointment.

To underscore their position, the officials who pleaded anonymity said top Presidency officials called them to find out whether the online reports about the minister’s resignation was true or not.

They argued that had the minister resigned, the Presidency, which should be privy to such information before others should not turn round to start calling the Ministry of Finance to confirm such.