Shittu defends self over NYSC certificate

The Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, yesterday reacted to reports that he does not have National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

Shittu, who spoke with newsmen after completing his governorship screening exercise in Abuja, admitted that he does not have the certificate but stressed that his NYSC certificate issue should not be compared to that of the former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

The minister said he considered his election into the state House of Assembly at the time as a higher service, adding that he had not violated any law of the country.

He said: “The Nigerian Tribune even reported that I left university in 1979 but in actual sense, I left in 1978 and left Law School in 1979 and the constitution says anyone who qualifies to contest an election or who has gone through an election and wins, is obligated to move through the House of Assembly which I did for four years, so it is a form of higher service as far as I’m concerned and even now, I am still in service.”

On whether he had violated the law, Shittu said, “I don’t see and I’m not worried. Do you see any worry on my face? I don’t think so except someone has a superior argument and prove it.”

On the seeming similarity of his case with that of Adeosun, the minister said: “There are walls of difference. Unfortunately, Kemi had a fake certificate, I didn’t present any, I don’t have one, I simply followed the constitutional requirement that if you are qualified to contest an election, it is compulsory for you to serve the nation in the capacity that you won an election.”