How Court Turned Down Tinubu’s Minister’s Request To Stop Release Of Academic Record

Facts person emerged astir however the curate of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji, approached a Federal High Court successful Abuja for an interim injunction to barroom the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) from releasing his world record, an exertion turned down by the court.

The curate had dragged the Minister of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice Chancellor, its Registrar and the Senate of the instauration earlier the court, seeking a restraining bid from acting connected the petition to merchandise his records.

Justice Hauwa Yilwa, however, turned down the minister’ request.

The curate had prayed the tribunal for an bid granting permission to the Applicant to contented the prerogative writ of prohibition connected the 3th – 5th and the 7th Respondents (the VC, Registrar and Senate of the school) from tampering with oregon continuing to tamper with the Applicant’s world records astatine the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He besides prayed for an bid granting him permission to contented the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the 3rd – 5th and the 7th Respondents to merchandise to the him his world transcript astatine the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“An bid granting permission to the Applicant to contented the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the 1st and 2nd Respondents to ensure, utilising their supervisory and disciplinary powers, that the 3rd – 5th and the 7th Respondents merchandise to the Applicant his world transcript astatine the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“An interim bid of injunction restraining the 3d – 5th and the 7th Defendants from tampering oregon continuing to tamper with the Applicant’s world records astatine the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, pending the determination of the substantive Suit,” helium prayed the court.

However, aft listening to the submissions of Counsels, the tribunal held, “I person truthful perused the 34 paragraph Affidavit and the 6 paragraph Affidavit of Urgency deposed to by the Applicant, the grounds upon which this exertion is made, the Exhibits attached thereto and the Further Affidavit of 6 paragraphs deposed to by Martin Luther Akawe.

“I person arsenic considered the Written Address of Counsel. I shall truthful notation to paragraphs 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29 of the Affidavit successful enactment of this application, Exhibits 1-2D and paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the Further Affidavit.

“I’m of the humble presumption from the facts deposed successful the affidavits, alongside the Exhibits attached, that the Applicant has capable involvement successful the substance to which this exertion relates. Thus, this exertion is meritorious. Consequently, I hereby assistance supplication 1, 2 and 3 only.

“Prayer 4 is declined. Having been refused, the granting of reliefs 1-3 shall not service arsenic injunctive reliefs against immoderate of the parties.”

Recall that successful a missive by the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, to Premium Times paper dated October 2, 2025, the assemblage had disowned Nnaji’s certificate.

The assemblage maintained that the Minister did not implicit his studies.

“We notation to your missive dated 29 September 2025 successful respect of the supra taxable matter.

“We tin corroborate that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka successful 1981.

“From each disposable records and accusation from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are incapable to corroborate that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the existent Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria successful July 1985, arsenic determination are nary records of his completion of survey successful the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT person issued the purported certificate, oregon astatine all, successful July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the existent Minister of Science and Technology. This decision is besides successful consonance with an earlier missive dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission successful respect of the aforesaid taxable substance (copy attached),” Ortuanya wrote.

Instructively successful his filing successful the suit earlier the Court and besides contrary to Nnaji’s assertion successful a 10-page document, including a UNN grade certificate, submitted to the Senate successful August 2023 for ministerial screening, helium has made a volt face, admitting to not having been issued his grade certificate.

He submitted, “That adjacent though I americium yet to cod my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), owed mostly to the non-cooperative cognition of the 3rd–5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a missive dated 21st December 2023 to People’s Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated am...