The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified Nigeria’s Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu, from Oyo state governorship race over his failure to partake in the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
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CKN News recalls that an online newspaper had reported that Shittu failed to present himself for the scheme despite graduating from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) at age 25.
However, in his reactions, the Minister had his first political post after graduation could suffice as national service.
“The constitution provides for the qualification needed for state assembly members, NYSC is not there,” the minister had said.
“I didn’t need it to become a member of the state assembly, and that is already a service,” Shittu had added.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had slammed the Communications Minister, for saying the political office he held had compensated for failing to take part in the compulsory one-year national service.
Spokesperson of the NYSC, Adenike Adeyemi had told Tribune that there was no exception for Shittu who became a lawmaker at a young age.
Adeyemi had said: “Serving in the National (or state) Assembly is not one of them (conditions for exemption from national service)
“You have read the Act and you can see the circumstances where someone is exempted, you analyse it if he [Shittu] was exempted duly or there is a reason why he should have served. But the Act is very straightforward on the grounds for not coming up to serve.
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Politics