Why we sued Alison-Madueke over her NYSC status’

by olu jacob

July 6, 2011 12:50AM
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As controversy over Diezani Alison-Madueke’s NYSC status rages, a non-governmental organisation has gone to court to challenge her over the matter. Their lawyer, George Oguntade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, says in this interview that in rushing to appoint Mrs Alison-Madueke as Minister of Petroleum, President Goodluck Jonathan showed scant regard for the rule of law. Excerpts:

Motive of the suit

The suit is in furtherance of an ideal; that all Nigerians abide by the same law. You cannot have one law for a group of people and another for another group in the country. Everybody in this country should be bound by the same laws.

And the law says every Nigerian graduate must undertake a compulsory year of National Youth Service Corps deployment before he/she could be eligible for employment, especially if they are under 30. How do you explain a situation whereby a minister twice over did not undertake this exercise? It is clearly wrong. And it is to ensure that due process is followed that we have instituted the suit.

It is simple really. If she has done the service, let her present her certificate. And if she was exempted from service, let her present the certificate of exemption.

Her clearance by State Secret Service

A valid question indeed. To my mind, the idea was to ensure that people who hold the position of minister have been thoroughly screened. Such a security check was to determine if she was eligible for appointment to the position or if there were reasons why she should not be made a minister. Yet she was apparently cleared by them. So it raises questions about the quality of the screening exercise.

Look at the National Assembly. The Senate screening lasted only 30 minutes. You all saw what happened. Did they ask her the salient question? Of course not. They were aware of our suit before the screening, yet not a single Senator of the Federal Republic asked the vital question. In America, congressional hearing sometimes takes three working days. Look at the one held over Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. But here, they just say come for 30 minutes and take a bow.

Relevance of suit after swearing-in

The president clearly disappointed Nigerians. What the President has done amounts to a slap on the judiciary. With all due respect, it shows clear disrespect for court process. He knew that there was a pending suit against the woman, yet he rushed and swore her in on Saturday. Why the rush? It suggests that there was something fishy about it all, that they have something to hide.

However, we are very optimistic. We would not have filed this action if we did not have substantial facts, if we didn’t have adequate evidence. So the case will go on and if at the end of the day the court agrees that we were in the right, then it can give its ruling and right the wrong.

You must have read the suit. We are asking the court to determine if the woman is qualified to be made a minister in the light of our charges. The consequential relief we sought was that if it was proven that she never participated in the NYSC, then she should not be made a minister.

Anger with president’s action

It is a very damning testimony to the President’s so-called respect for the rule of law. He came in and swore to uphold the rule of law, but his actions so far show quite the opposite. The President had clear knowledge that we have instituted a case against this woman. It is shocking that the President would behave in this manner. Nigerians should take serious interest in what is going on in this case because it will have serious consequences for our democracy.

She a carrier of FRESH FART.

I know and I strongly believe this that one day monkey go go market, he no go return.

I was waiting for aq suit like this. How I wish I had the resources to purse cases like this.

Very useless leaders.

Na God go punish them

Yet we force thousands of youthe each year to die from riots, accidents, armed robbery and rape in d so called youth service but pple like the presidents babe get to be minister without mandatory service

Awon were buruku.

They wasted 3 good years of my brother's life.

Reason (part of) why he hates Nigeria

Na God go punish them

Lets lunch operation Alison-Madueke must go nw,

Let the court determine this case soon, so that we all will know what the NYSC trouble is all about.

I remember when the same people told us "They Died For Democracy"

The Plaintiffs would win the case in about four years.