President Tinubu Told To Sack Top Minister Over NYSC Certificate

• The Nigerian Bar Association has requested the court to nullify the NYSC certificates issued to Musawa and Kenny Ogungbe, music boss
• In a lawsuit filed against the minister and the music executive, the NBA described as illegal Musawa and Ogungbe's service to the nation after exceeding 30 years of age
• The organisation thereby urged President Tinubu to sack the culture minister and also urged the court to uphold the provisions of the NYSC Act

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

The constitutionality of the appointment of Hannatu Musawa as minister of arts, culture, and creative economy by Tinubu has again been brought to the spotlight by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

This time around, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been told to sack Musawa from office for allegedly violating the National Youth Service Corps Act (NYSC).

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The NBA section on public interest and development law also asked the court to compel the NYSC to nullify the certificates given to Musawa and a music promoter, Kenny Ogungbe.

As reported by The Punch, the organisation alleged that the issuance of the certificate was unlawful, illegal, unpatriotic and contrary to the provisions of NYSC Act Cap N84.LFN 2024.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the chairman, NBA-SPIDEL, John Aikpokpo-Martins, and secretary, NBA-SPIDEL, Funmi Adeogun.

Musawa, Ogungbe, NYSC, and the federal government of Nigeria are the first to fourth defendants, respectively in the suit.

Why Hannatu Musawa is under fire

The controversial NYSC status of the minister deepened in August 2023, following the disclosure by the NYSC that the minister is undergoing her national youth service.

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This sparked calls for her resignation in some quarters.

Eddy Megwa, the director of public relations of the scheme, waded in and said Musawa was occupying the ministerial position in breach of the NYSC Act.

Megwa explained that it was against the NYSC Act for any corps member to pick up any government appointment until the one-year service was over.

Tinubu's culture minister disowns statement on NYSC status

Musawa earlier dissociated herself from a statement purportedly released by her regarding the controversy surrounding her NYSC status.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) had earlier opposed her appointment.

Source: Legit.ng