Certificate Forgery: Stella Oduah Threatens NYSC with Lawsuit

Pat Stevens/

Senator Stella Oduah has issued 48-hour ultimatum to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to retract a scandalous statement that she absconded from her youth service.

The NYSC’s Director-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, had said that Oduah did not complete the mandatory national youth service scheme and that she absconded from the youth service after the orientation camp in Lagos between 1982 and 1983.

But Oduah, in a letter issued by her media director, Ezennia Nonso Chukwudebe, described the NYSC allegation as scandalous.

The letter says Oduah considered “the reckless statement as grossly irresponsible” and no doubt suggested that it was procured from the NYSC for political considerations in favour of her political detractors.

“We are shocked that you condescended so low to make such false and unverified conclusions which is damaging to her character and image,” the letter reads.

The letter says when a similar allegation was made by her political contenders in 2017, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) issued a letter dated 11th January 2017 with Ref No: NECA/SELA/H4 confirming that she carried out her NYSC primary assignment with them.

According to the letter, the allegations had also been a subject of litigation and Oduah had obtained a court judgment in her favour in the case of Chinedu Emmanuel Emeka v Princess Stella Oduah v EPT/AWK/SEN/13/ 2019.

The letter further says that “ordinarily, one needed not be bothered about any other similar allegations in the light of the aforesaid judgment and the fact that NYSC is not a constitutional qualification to hold any public office in Nigeria, but that the NYSC statement had to a large extent defamed Oduah.”

The letter adds, “In your exact words, ‘after the orientation course, she absconded’. It is curious how a person who had participated in all NYSC activities at the Orientation Camp can be said to have ‘absconded’ because she left for her place of primary assignment as it was routine. It is either you chose to ignore your record or your office has failed to keep proper records.

“You are by this letter given 48 hours to retract your statement failing which legal actions shall be commenced against you.”

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