Prof Itse Sagay
The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Chairman, Itse Sagay (SAN), has downplayed the controversy about the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate of Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.
Speaking on the sidelines of a workshop on the UK Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO), Sagay also said President Muhammadu Buhari cannot afford to sack Adeosun.
“I don’t know why the government has not reacted. But, let me tell you my reaction: This woman is a brilliant and extremely valuable member of this government”, Nation quoted him as saying.
“A lot of the good things happening now – the welfare that Nigerians are enjoying and are going to enjoy, because it takes time, and the way our economy is booming, how we got out of recession – are due to her expertise, her commitment, her sacrifice.
“There is nothing in this world that will make me remove such a woman from the government. The PDP can weep from now until there is no tear in their body; she is going to be there. We cannot afford to lose that woman.
“Who cares about youth service? I don’t bloody care whether she did youth service or not. It’s irrelevant as far as I am concerned.”
“I don’t believe it. I don’t see anything serious about not doing youth service. I don’t see anything serious about it. That’s my own bias, not government’s.
“I’m telling you now. If you ask me – If I were President Muhammadu Buhari, I would never, ever touch that woman because she’s damn good,” he also said.