How We Busted Nnaji’s Academic Certificate Fraud, By PT Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief and Chief Operating Officer of Premium Times Newspaper, Musikilu Mojeed, has revealed however the media outlet uncovered the world certificate fraud allegedly perpetrated by the erstwhile Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.

Speaking connected Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ connected Tuesday night, Mojeed disclosed that the probe began aft a whistleblower alerted the paper to discrepancies successful Nnaji’s world records 2 years ago.

“A whistleblower had written to america via email to rise interest and alert america astir immoderate discrepancies successful the minister’s claim,” Mojeed explained. “The whistleblower appealed to america to investigate, saying they did not cognize the idiosyncratic but were assured that if we did a diligent investigation, we would uncover thing shocking. We took up the situation and started moving connected it since 2023.”

He said the PT newsroom instantly swung into action, deploying reporters to Abuja and Enugu to verify the claims.

“We archetypal wrote to the NYSC connected September 23, 2023,” helium said. “We had nary occupation with the minister; we did not cognize him. Our spot is probe — everybody knows Premium Times for that. When a substance is brought earlier us, we investigate. Sometimes we find things that are indicting; sometimes we don’t. But it is our occupation arsenic journalists, arsenic required of america by the constitution, to clasp powerfulness accountable, which is what we person done here.”

Mojeed besides addressed allegations made by the minister’s spokesperson, Robert Ngu, that Premium Times received ₦100 cardinal bribe from the Enugu State authorities to people the report.

“Robert Ngu accused america of receiving ₦100 cardinal from the Enugu government,” Mojeed said. “Of course, helium is going to beryllium that successful court. We are not a paper that you tin unduly malign. We person built our integrity for adjacent to 15 years, done a batch of large stories, and nary 1 has ever accused america of such.”

Recall that Nnaji, who resigned connected Tuesday pursuing contention implicit his world credentials from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, maintained that his determination to measurement down was a substance of principle.

Meanwhile, the erstwhile curate denied immoderate wrongdoing, insisting that his resignation from President Bola Tinubu’s furniture was not an admittance of guilt.

In a connection released Tuesday night, the erstwhile curate said his determination to measurement down was guided by rule and a tendency to uphold owed process amid the ongoing contention implicit his world credentials from UNN, and his NYSC discharge certificate.

“My determination to measurement speech is truthful a idiosyncratic prime — not an admittance of guilt, but alternatively a principled determination to respect the sanctity of owed process and to sphere the integrity of the judicial proceedings presently earlier the court,” helium said. “In the end, justness volition prevail, and past volition vindicate the just.”

While Nnaji maintained that helium graduated from UNN successful 1975, reports suggest that the instauration could not verify his world records.

Describing the allegations arsenic politically motivated, the erstwhile curate said the contention was portion of a wider run to smear his image.

“Over the past week, an orchestrated and sustained run of falsehood, politically motivated and malicious attacks person been waged against my person, integrity, and bureau crossed print, electronic, and societal media platforms,” Nnaji stated. “These unfounded allegations and media distortions person not lone caused idiosyncratic distress but person besides begun to distract from the captious enactment of the Ministry and the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.”

Nnaji, who was appointed arsenic Minister successful August 2023, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the accidental to service the nation.

President Tinubu has since accepted Nnaji’s resignation. In a connection by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, the President thanked the erstwhile curate for his work and wished him occurrence successful his aboriginal endeavours.