Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has said that she did not break law by accepting to serve as a minister while undertaking the compulsory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
She also said there is law that prevents a Corps member from taking appointment while still serving.
“There is no law of Nigeria or any part of the our constitution and NYSC Act that states that a serving corps member cannot be appointed by the President of Nigeria or any other appointing authority into political positions.
“Equally, no part of our existing laws and NYSC Act says that a corps member must finish service before he/she can be appointed into political office,” she said.
Musawa stated this Sunday in a statement she personally signed in reaction to media reports about her NYSC status.
Citing a court judgment about a similar matter, Musawa said, “In fact, in a decided case before a Federal High Court Abuja in 2021, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ruled that the constitution of Nigeria, which is the grundnorm, does not require anyone to even present a first-degree certificate or any other certificate, including the NYSC certificate to be appointed a minister in Nigeria.”
She, however, admitted that she started the NYSC programme in 2001 but could not complete it due to family reasons.
