Keep NYSC Above Partisan Politics, Concerned Enugu Citizens Tell DG

A group, Concerned Enugu Citizens, has berated the director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, for disparaging the Discharge Certificate in possession of Enugu State Governor-elect, Peter Mbah, despite the fact that the matter is in Court.

Mbah had few days ago slammed a N20bn lawsuit against NYSC and its Director of Corps Certification, Ibrahim Muhammad, before an Abuja Federal High Court, for alleged conspiracy, deceit and misrepresentation of fact on the Certificate saga.

LEADERSHIP reports that the NYSC boss, Brig-Gen Ahmed, while speaking on Arise News Channel’s breakfast show on Friday, said the Certificate in possession of Mbah was not issued by NYSC.

But, th group said the NYSC DG’s comment on the matter on live TV smacks off not only of contempt of Court and flagrant disrespect for the rule of law, but showed that the Scheme was being tele-guided by political forces for political end.

Mr Nkem Asogwa, spokesperson for the group in a press statement on Saturday, said the NYSC must raise its operations beyond the manipulation of political interests and partisan demagogues.

“The NYSC and the DG in charge must understand that Nigeria and Nigerians crave a new deal in governance where the best hands are allowed to serve,” he stated.

Asogwa further said the Scheme must, therefore, be moved from allowing manipulative forces to deploy it into settling political scores and power debacles.

“The time to shield our politics from the devious control of subversive forces is now. And we must urge those who superintend Parrastatals and Agencies of Government to be above board.

“The question about the authenticity of the NYSC Discharge Certificate of Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Governor-Elect of Enugu State is before the Court, and has become the subject of litigation, therefore the action of the DG of the NYSC is not only reprehensible but lampoon-able.

“We are aware that sufficient investigation regarding the details of the said NYSC Certificate of Barrister Peter Mbah shows that the said certificate was validly issued by the NYSC, to have a DG who resumed office recently and has not grappled with the full details of the matter speak on National TV on a matter which is albeit sub-judice is worrisome and troubling.

“We the forum of CONCERNED ENUGU CITIZENS hereby implore the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), her DG and the Management to stay off partisan waters and allow the Rule of Law take its course.

“We also must state without equivocation that our Governor-Elect is a law abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and that his commitment to building a vibrant, prosperous and great Enugu State is unassailable.

“Peter Mbah cannot and will not be pulled down or dragged into the ignoble list of those that have been destroyed by Politicians using the instrumentality of the NYSC as a witch-hunt.

“The NYSC must stay true to its pristine responsibility of serving the cause of National Integration, Orientation, Brotherhood and Oneness, and must rise above the partisan debacles of devious politicians.

“Finally, if the meddlesome-ness of the NYSC management in a matter presently before the Court does not abate, we shall be compelled to petition the Agency as well as prevail on the Courts to take serious steps to forbid the Service from further actions that border on contempt of Court,” Asogwa stated.