Adeosun’s Whistle Blow On NNPC’s Big Inflow, Tiny Remittances Dug Her Pit, Not NYSC Saga
The Oasis Reporters
September 14, 2018
Kemi Adeosun grievously underestimated the powers of the oligarchy in the NNPC when she blew a hard whistle questioning the revenues remitted by the national oil monopoly, NNPC and said “the revenues are unacceptably low” which led to the postponement of the finance allocating body, FAAC Meeting three times sometime between June to July, 2018.
Her forgery issue had been there for long and even those in power were conscious of it. As long as she understood the game and played along there was no forgery issue.
The corruption issue she unwittingly raised was swept under the carpet and few days after, Nigerians saw some pro Buhari media managers posting her reconciliatory pictures with the NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru.
Her sin was therefore in blowing a loud whistle by saying Oil Production per day had not reduced, global oil prices per barrel had improved, so why should NNPC Revenue remittances be low ? She challenged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC saying their remittances were unacceptably low. The direct import of her querry was blowing a whistle of the existence of corruption in the sacred NNPC. Perhaps by doing her work diligently, she was not mindful of who the Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, President Muhammadu Buhari had as minders in the oil behemoth.
STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT
PRESIDENT BUHARI ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF FINANCE MINISTER, KEMI ADEOSUN
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday accepted the resignation of the Hon. Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun. The President thanked the Minister for her services to the nation and wished her well in her future pursuits.
The President also approved that the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, should oversee the Ministry of Finance with effect from today.
Below is the full text of Mrs Adeosun’s resignation letter.
FEMI ADESINA
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 14, 2018.
14th September, 2018
His Excellency
Muhammadu Buhari
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
State House
Aso Villa
Abuja
Dear Excellency,
Let me commence by thanking you profusely for the honour and privilege of serving under your inspirational leadership. It has been a truly rewarding experience to learn from you and to observe at close quarters your integrity and sense of duty.
I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine. This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign.
Your Excellency, kindly permit me to outline some of the background to this matter. 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.
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.
Your Excellency, It has been an exceptional privilege to have served our nation under your leadership and to have played a role in steering our economy at a very challenging time. I am proud that Nigeria has brought discipline into its finances, has identified and is pursuing a path to long term sustainable growth that will unlock the potential in this great economy. Under your leadership, Nigeria was able to exit recession and has now started to lay the foundations for lasting growth and wealth creation. Repositioning this huge economy is not a short term task and there are no short cuts, indeed there are tough decisions still to be made but I have no doubt that your focus on infrastructural investment, revenue mobilisation and value for money in public expenditure will deliver growth, wealth and opportunity for all Nigerians.
I thank His Excellency, the Vice President and my colleagues in the Federal Executive Council for the huge pleasure and honour of working with them. I also thank most specially, the team in the ‘Finance Family’ of advisers and heads of agencies under the Ministry of Finance. Your Excellency, this group of committed Nigerians represent a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. They have worked well above and beyond the call of duty to support me in the tasks assigned. The diversity in my team and their ability to work cohesively to deliver reforms, convinces me that Nigeria has the human capital required to succeed.
Your Excellency, let me conclude by commending your 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.
Please be assured, as always, of my highest regards and best wishes.
Kemi Adeosun (Mrs)
A senior aide of the Minister confirmed her resignation to online media anonymously Friday, saying she resigned following the controversies surrounding her NYSC certificate.
“The Hon. Minister toed the path of honour by choosing to step down so that her NYSC Certificate issue is not used against the president and the party during the general elections by the opposition. It was a decision she took and posterity will judge her positively for doing the honourable thing by resigning from office,” the aide said.
Zainab Ahmed, Minister of State, Budget and National Planning would oversee the Finance Ministry.
