Nigeria Scandals: Top political scandals of 2018

1. Kemi Adeosun; exposed for allegedly forging NYSC certificate 

Former minister of finance, Kemi Adosun exposed for allegedly forging NYSC exemption certificate 

 In July, a report broke out on Premium Times that Nigeria’s then finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, did not participate in the mandatory one-year national youth service scheme. Instead, Adeosun reportedly forged an exemption certificate many years after graduation. The newspaper further reported that the certificate scandal was turned into a tool for blackmail by a National Assembly cartel that used it to coerce the finance minister to keep releasing funds to the lawmaking arm. About two months after the report broke out, the ex-minister finally resigned her position and left the country. In her resignation letter, she explained how she got the certificate, alleging that she was never aware the certificate was fake.



2. Adebayo Shittu; exposed for not participating in the NYSC

Adebayo Shittu; exposed for not participating in the NYSC

In September 2018, the minister of communications, Adebayo Shittu, was found to have skipped the mandatory national youth service scheme. Shittu failed to participate in the NYSC scheme despite graduating from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) at age 25. When contacted, the communication admitted that he did not serve but claimed he thought his first political post after graduation could suffice as national service, a claim lawyers and NYSC insiders consider as ludicrous and untenable. NYSC later officially dismissed the claim that holding political office compensated for his refusal to participate in the compulsory national service. The spokesperson of the scheme, Adenike Adeyemi, said the minister’s claim that holding an elective office suffices for the obligatory national service is incorrect. His party, the APC, subsequently disqualified him from participating in the Oyo state gubernatorial primaries on the basis of the NYSC scandal. Adebayo afterwards dragged his party to court over the disqualification. Skipping the compulsory national service is an offence under the NYSC law, punishable with up to 12 months imprisonment. Employers are mandated by law to always request NYSC certificate of national service from employees as part of the conditions for hiring.

3. Senator Ademola Adeleke; for the WAEC certificate/impersonation scandal


Senator Ademola Adeleke; involved in WAEC certificate/impersonation scandal.

Depositphotos Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, the senator representing Osun West senatorial district and the state’s PDP gubernatorial candidate in the Osun state 2018 guber election, was first busted by the ICIR. The newspaper’s finding revealed that Senator Adeleke did not graduate from Jacksonville State University (JSU) as he claimed. According to his profile on the National Assembly website, Adeleke has a Diploma in Criminology from JSU and graduated in 1986. He also graduated from Ede Muslim Grammar School, Osun State, where he obtained an Ordinary Level Certificate. Buffy Lockette, the director of public relations at JSU, in response to a mailed enquiry by The ICIR, however, said that though the senator enrolled at the tertiary institution, he was not awarded any degree. All his academic claims were subsequently been brutally challenged. According to circulated claims, Adeleke registered for GCE O’ Level in 1981 but had F9 in English Language and was recorded absent for other subjects. It also said he has no degree from JSU where he registered as Jackson Ademola Adeleke while providing what it titled as official records of his enrollment. Shortly after WAEC confirmed Adeleke indeed sat for the exams, the Nigeria Police Force in September declared him wanted again for examination malpractice. Adeleke was asked to report along with four others accused of examination malpractice and criminal conspiracy. Adeleke and his brother, Sikiru Adeleke, allegedly sat for the National Examination Council Examination (NECO) in 2017 as internal candidates impersonating students of the school. The case is still in court. 

4. Razaq Atunwa; for allegedly skipping NYSC, forging certificate 

There are no indications that his party will drop him as its gubernatorial candidate on the grounds of the NYSC scandal. The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state in the forthcoming general elections, Razak Atunwa, was also alleged to have also skipped the compulsory national youth service scheme. He also allegedly procured a forged discharge certificate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which he submitted to the PDP to prove his eligibility for public office. Atunwa, however, denied forging his NYSC certificate. He said he is fully compliant with all the legal requirements to be elected to the office of the governor of Kwara state and he did not submit any unsupported NYSC certificate. There are no indications that his party will drop him as its gubernatorial candidate on the grounds of the NYSC scandal.

5. Governor Umar Ganduje; exposed for allegedly receiving kickbacks 

Governor Umar Ganduje; exposed for allegedly receiving kickbacks Source: Depositphotos 

In October, a scandalous video appearing to show Governor Umar Ganduje pocketing vast wads of American dollars in what was said to be bribe payments from public works contractors was published by Daily Nigerian. In the video, the Kano state governor could be seen collecting the dollars before rolling them into his white dress, “babanriga,” in one of a series of questionable deals allegedly struck over a span of several months. The two minutes video was recorded in 2017 in what the newspaper described as a sting operation aimed at beaming a spotlight on the governor’s alleged penchant for contract racketeering. The governor has debunked the video as “cloned” and filed a N3 billion lawsuit against its publisher for defamation of character, slander and libel. Though the online news media said it has at least 15 clips of Ganduje caught receiving kickbacks in possession, a Kano state high court has granted an interim injunction stopping it from further releasing and publishing the video clips pending the determination of the substantive application. The court also ruled that Kano state House of Assembly, which had initiated an investigation into the scandal, has no power to investigate the $5 million bribery allegation. The judge said collecting bribe from contractors is a criminal offence in section 115 and 116 of the penal code, and the House has no capacity to investigate criminal offences. 


6. Timothy Owoeye; Osun APC lawmaker caught bathing in public Timothy Owoeye; Osun APC lawmaker caught bathing in public.

 In September, Timothy Owoeye, an Osun state APC lawmaker was seen on a viral video showing him being beaten by some men who purportedly caught him taking a midnight ritual shower in a market. Some of those who circulated the video on social media said Owoeye, who is currently the House majority leader of Osun state House of Assembly, was performing the ritual as he intensified activities towards his political success in the upcoming general elections.  

 However, the police later confirmed that the lawmaker was a victim of a ritual syndicate which had operated in the state for a long time. Owoeye, representing Ilesa West for the APC, it was discovered, was actually a victim of a high-wire blackmail racket that had seen him part with humongous amount of his personal wealth in a desperate bid to save his own career and family image. He was reportedly tricked to take a bath at the place to enhance his fortunes through traditional means. The fraudsters recorded him taking bath to blackmail him so that he would not be able to lodge a complaint in the public. Sources close to Owoeye said that persons were arranged by the fraudsters who had been parading themselves to the lawmaker as herbalists working to help enhance his fortunes through traditional means, according to Premium Times. The fraudsters had reportedly collected more than 40 million from Owoeye before he summoned the courage to complain and the police succeeded in arresting some of those fellows and they were charged to court. The video was leaked by other members of the syndicate who were yet to be taken into custody. 

7. Osun Gubernatorial Election Scandals.

The State of Usun Witnessed one the political shocker in the electioneering processes of Nigeria.