The Presidency has said it will take action only after the court delivers its verdict on the alleged certificate forgery case involving the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji.
The controversy surrounding Nnaji, a former governorship candidate and now serving minister under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has deepened after reports surfaced questioning the authenticity of his degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The case, which has drawn significant public scrutiny, is currently before the Federal High Court.
In a statement on Monday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Tinubu administration would respect judicial processes and avoid premature comments on the matter.
“This issue is already before the court,” Onanuga told reporters. “We should await the verdict of the court before making any assumptions or statements.”
According to reports by Leadership, Nnaji filed a lawsuit against several parties, including the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission, UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, the Registrar, a former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the Senate of the University.
The minister’s suit seeks to clarify issues surrounding his alleged forged degree certificate and the university’s official records.
Pressure has mounted on Nnaji to resign amid growing calls for accountability in the Tinubu administration. Opposition figures and civil society organisations have urged the President to suspend the minister pending the outcome of the court case.
However, the Presidency’s position remains that due process must prevail.
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The forgery allegations trace back to inconsistencies in Nnaji’s academic credentials presented during his ministerial screening. The minister had previously admitted that he had not yet collected his degree certificate from UNN.
His statement, however, sparked further suspicion, as it implied that the certificate he submitted for screening might be fake or altered.
The controversy intensified when documents purportedly showed that Nnaji also claimed to hold a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria—an inconsistency that raised more questions.
Checks reportedly revealed that ABU offers only a Bachelor of Science in Geography, not a Bachelor of Arts , as reflected in Nnaji’s statement of results.
Public reactions have been divided. While some Nigerians insist that Nnaji’s continued stay in office undermines the administration’s integrity, others argue that the minister deserves a fair hearing before any official action is taken.
Phoenix
