Who fit be Nigeria minister? Pesin wey still dey do youth service fit dey do dat one still dey do minister work, abi how? Dis na di koko of di issue wey one group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria raise concerning Nigeria Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa. Di group say she no get any business to be minister if she still dey do her one year mandatory youth service. Although BBC no fit to independently confam weda or not she dey true true do youth service, local tori pipo Cable news quote NYSC official say im confam say she dey serve now.
Dis mata raise debate among Nigerians on wetin di law tok about dis kain situation. Before anybody fit become minister for Nigeria, e go first pass through many process including background check wey di Department for State Security (DSS) and even di National Assembly suppose do. Hannatu pass through all dis process and di authorities clear her to become minister. But wetin di Nigeria Constitution tok about who fit be a minister and who no qualify?
Wetin Constitution tok about ministerial appointment
Ogbonge Nigeria lawyer and senior advocate, Femi Falana, say according to Nigeria law, anybody wey no serve no get any business wit to dey do minister work right now. To understand dis mata Falana say di first tin na to torchlight wetin di Nigeria constitution tok about di compulsory one year National Youth Service. Section 2 of di National Youth Service Act say every citizen wey graduate from any higher institution weda inside or outside di kontri, and wey neva reach 30 years must to serve di father land.
But e also add say if pesin don pass 30 years e no qualify to do national youth service. Diafore im must to collect certificate of exemption. Di question wey dis mata raise come be say, madam Hannatu Musawa don reach 30 years abi she don pass 30 years. Youth service for Nigeria suppose be very serious mata wey fit land pesin go chill for prison for 12 months wit fine of N20,000 or any one of di two. Di oda mata na qualification for minister. Oga Falana say, “pesin wey di law no qualify to be lawmaker also no qualify to be minister. Di Constitution be like e set di same qualification and disqualification for di two office.”
Section 147(6) of di Nigeria Constitution add say goment no fit to appoint anybody minister unless im qualify for election as member of di House of Representative. Dis section of di law add say pesin wey no do national youth service no dey qualify to be member of house of representatives. Falana make dis point wit example of di case wia Supreme Court decide say na so di law tok am for di case of Modibo vs Usman & Ors (2019)LPELR-59096(SC). From wetin di SAN tok and if na true say madama Musawa still dey serve e mean say Nigeria goment no follow di law in her appointment. Since her appointment di young minster don dey on di negative side of news. Few weeks ago, Nigerians drag her afta video wey go viral show as as she dey abuse di Nigeria naira note, sometin wey be offence wey fit land pesin for prison for di kontri. But authorities never take any actions for her “abuse” of di naira.
Source: BBC
