By Francis Ajuonuma
The controversy surrounding the academic credentials of Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, has deepened as he moves to defend his integrity amid reports accusing him of presenting forged university and NYSC certificates.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, his spokesperson, Dr Robert Ngwu, described the allegations as “a calculated political smear campaign designed to tarnish the image of a hardworking public servant.”
Ngwu stated that the Honourable Minister is a verified graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Honours) Lower Division, in July 1985.
He displayed documents and a convocation brochure from that year, insisting they remain part of the university’s official archives.
“The University itself confirmed this in writing on December 21, 2023,” Ngwu said.
“That letter, signed by Mrs I.A.S. Onyeador on behalf of the Registrar, Dr. (Mrs.) Celine Nnebedum clearly stated that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, graduated in 1985. That remains the official position of UNN.”
However, the controversy reignited in May 2025, when another letter purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria surfaced, claiming that the institution could not trace any record of Nnaji’s graduation.
Ngwu dismissed the document as “fake and politically motivated,” alleging that the development coincided with the emergence of two members of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Acting Vice Chancellor and later substantive Vice Chancellor of UNN.
“What changed between 2023 and 2025,” Ngwu asked, “other than a shift in the university’s leadership to politically exposed persons? The same institution that confirmed his graduation two years ago suddenly claims it cannot find his records. Nigerians can see through this desperation.”
He described the publication by Premium Times, which reported that the Minister admitted in court that UNN never issued him a certificate, as “a gross misrepresentation of legal facts designed to create public outrage.”
The Minister, according to Ngwu, had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, under Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025, after learning that certain officials within the university were allegedly tampering with his academic file.
On September 22, 2025, Justice H.J. Yilwa reportedly issued an injunction restraining UNN’s Vice Chancellor and management from altering or withholding his academic records, while ordering the release of his transcript and directing supervising authorities to ensure compliance.
Despite the court order, Ngwu said, the Vice Chancellor allegedly continued to make “unfounded public claims” suggesting that the Minister never graduated. He accused the university’s leadership of “disregarding lawful orders and engaging in a media trial.”
Reports by Premium Times and People’s Gazette had alleged that Nnaji’s university and NYSC certificates were forged, citing internal inconsistencies in registration details, signatures, and graduation records.
These outlets claimed that UNN’s Vice Chancellor, in response to inquiries, stated that Nnaji did not complete his programme and was never awarded a degree.
In one report, the Minister was said to have sworn an affidavit admitting that his certificate was never formally issued. However, he maintained that he completed his coursework and final examinations.
The publications triggered a storm of criticism on social media, with rights groups such as the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria demanding his resignation and investigation. Legal experts also warned that, if proven, certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence that could carry severe consequences.
*Aide insists he graduated in 1985
Ngwu insisted that the entire saga was “a weaponisation of bureaucracy for political gain,” linking the campaign to the internal power struggle in Enugu State and rivalries within the ruling political establishment.
“This is not about education or integrity,” Ngwu maintained. “It is about political desperation, orchestrated by those who feel threatened by Chief Nnaji’s rising profile and performance in office.”
He noted that the Minister remains focused on his mandate to advance innovation, strengthen Nigeria’s research institutions, and drive industrial growth through science and technology.
“He will not be distracted by propaganda or those who manipulate academic institutions to settle political scores,” Ngwu added.
Concluding the briefing, the spokesperson reaffirmed that Chief Uche Nnaji graduated from UNN in 1985, as confirmed by the university’s registrar in 2023.
“The December 2023 letter remains the only authentic and valid record on file. Any contrary claim, document, or publication is “false, malicious, and politically engineered. The facts are before the court, the documents are verifiable, and the truth will prevail,” Ngwu said.
*Show proof, says Effiong, legal practitioner
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has publicly challenged the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation to produce credible evidence in response to mounting allegations of certificate forgery. Effiong insists the claims cannot be left dangling without clear verification.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Effiong urged the Nigerian police to open a formal investigation into Nnaji’s academic and service records, citing “inconsistencies” and conflicting statements between the Minister and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
“Show us proof,” Effiong said, pressing that without tangible evidence, any allegation is merely conjecture.
“You cannot allege forgery and leave Nigerians guessing.”
He expressed astonishment that such issues went unnoticed during initial vetting processes, asking:
“How did all these things escape the scrutiny of the State Security Service?”
Effiong went on to accuse state agencies of complicity through silence, warning that without clarity, public confidence in governance suffers. He called the allegations “grave” and demanded that President Bola Tinubu suspend Nnaji while investigations are conducted.
“This Minister must be immediately suspended pending the conclusion of the investigation. He has to surrender himself to the police for investigation for forgery,” Effiong insisted.
“Otherwise, they will be telling Nigerians that we are running a government of certificate forgers and criminality.”
While Effiong acknowledged that the accusations remain unproven, he stressed that the government must show readiness to probe them impartially:
“We cannot have a minister of innovation whose innovation is now being linked to alleged certificate forgery. This is an embarrassment to our country.”
He added that President Tinubu now has an opportunity, “The president can prove he is not running a cartel but a government that respects the law.”
