...Demands open apology to Enugu people

A civil society organisation, Enugu Good Governance Group, E-3G, has applauded the Department of State Services, DSS, for clearing the air on the discharge certificate controversy between the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

The group urged Mbah to pursue his N20 billion lawsuit against the NYSC for alleged conspiracy, deceit, and misrepresentation of facts, even as it also demanded an unreserved public apology by the NYSC to the people of Enugu State for wilful defamation of the state’s number one citizen. According to E-3G, the agency’s "ineptitude, shoddy investigation, cover-up, and compromise,” by implication impinged on the reputation of the whole state.

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In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, the group described the NYSC as a metaphor for rots in the nation's public institutions, wondering how many ordinary Nigerians might have had their prospects truncated by the agency's alleged negligence, poor record keeping, and lack of accountability.

Recall that DSS investigation into the certificate saga as rendered in the statement on oath and evidence adduced by its subpoenaed witness, Mr. Yahaya Isa Mohammed, before the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, showed Mbah's initial file with the NYSC got missing at some point promoting the agency to start using a temporary file for him.

The DSS averred that in NYSC's response to Mbah's application for deferment of his service to enable him return to the Nigerian Law School for his Bar Final programme, the file number was LA/10/1532, while in their response to his request, the file number was LA/01/1532/T, with 'T' standing for temporary file.

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Mohammed stated: "The difference in Mbah's certificate number compared to others that were mobilised at the same time, is due to the inability of NYSC to trace the initial file where the first certificate A678 was.

“From the documents presented by NYSC regarding certificate numbers, about twelve (12) certificate numbers (A808297-A808308) which includes that of Mbah, remained unaccounted for in the eight (8) series by the NYSC.

“The NYSC did not do a thorough job before concluding that the certificate Mbah presented is fake.

"The Director, Corps Certification, failed to exploit all available avenue to ensure that due diligence was done before issuing statement on the matter.

"Upon insistence by the Service (DSS) for the NYSC to check their records properly, it was discovered that ‘8-Series’ certificates were issued to some Corps members, who served in Lagos State as Dr. Peter Mbah, contrary to the agency’s earlier claim that ‘8-Series’ certificates were not issued in Lagos State. 

"Contrary to NYSC’s claim that its certificates series were state-based, all certificate series including the "8-Series" were issued in all the states of the federation.

“The NYSC did not have a proper record, thus resulting in the misplacement of Mbah's initial file by NYSC and the use of temporary file for him as well as its inability to trace whom or which State(s) twelve (12) of its certificates (A808297 to A808308) were issued.”

The DSS also wondered why the NYSC would claim that Mbah’s supposed ‘6-Series’ certificate was part of the certificates shredded or destroyed by it in the past, and still claim that he did not serve, stating categorically that ‘the failure of the NYSC to maintain a proper record keeping system was the cause of its inability to trace Peter Ndubuisi Mbah's initial certificate.

For the Enugu CSO, the NYSC as recommended by the DSS should retract its letters disclaiming Mbah’s discharge certificate as well as explain how 12 certificates with serial numbers A808297 to A808308 were still unaccounted for and also trace the said certificates.

The group, therefore, threatened to mobilise the people of Enugu State to file a class action against the NYSC if the agency fails to apologise accordingly.