4 weeks ago
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Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Uche Nnaji, has denied allegations of certificate forgery levelled against him by a Nigerian quality platform, lamenting the blitz the trending quality has caused to his reputation.
Nnaji told a property league successful Abuja connected Monday that the allegation was politically motivated and well-crafted by the Enugu State governor, Peter Mba, to tarnish his estimation up of the 2027 governorship predetermination successful the authorities adjacent arsenic helium threatened to question ineligible redress.
Represented by his Special Adviser (Media), Dr. Robert Ngwu, the Minister presented a papers claiming that helium was admitted into the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) to survey Microbiology/Biochemistry successful 1981 and graduated successful 1985 with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) contrary to media reports that helium did not get immoderate certificate successful 1985.
Premium Times had reported that the Minister was ne'er issued a certificate by the university, claiming that the Minister had paraded mendacious documents during his ministerial screening successful 2023.
The papers Nnaji presented connected Monday was from the bureau of the Registrar of UNN, Dr. Mrs Celine Ngozi Nnebedum, signed by IAS Onyeador connected behalf of the Registrar connected December 21, 2023, which was successful effect to an enquiry dated October 24, 2023, by Samuel Ogundipe of the People’s Gazette, seeking for the world records of the Minister.
The papers reads: “This is to corroborate that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji with registration fig 1981/30725 was admitted successful 1981 to survey Microbiology/Biochemistry successful the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria successful July 1985 with Bachelor of Science successful Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons) Lower Division.”
He added that the said papers was the authoritative presumption of the university, claiming that the papers was inactive precise overmuch valid.
He noted that the papers the Premium Times relied connected to people what helium called “malicious and mendacious narrative” was issued successful May 2025 allegedly written by the aforesaid University, claiming that determination were nary records of the minister’s graduation.
He said, “starting from May 2025, a purported missive surfaced allegedly written by the assemblage abruptly claiming that determination were nary records of the Minister’s graduation. The question each Nigerian should inquire is elemental and logical, what changed betwixt December 2023 and October 2025?”
He accused the past Acting Vice Chancellor and aboriginal the Vice Chancellor of the University of orchestrating the purported caller document, claiming they were card-carrying members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) hired by the Enugu State politician to bash a hatchet job, adding that it was connected that governmental instauration that Premium Times built its mendacious reports.
“By Academic normal worldwide, the Registrar and not the Vice Chancellor is the custodian of each introspection and graduation records. Any effort by the Vice chancellor to presume that relation is an aberration successful the assemblage protocol and successful his lawsuit an evident governmental overreach,” helium said.
The Minister said that erstwhile helium got upwind of an effort to tamper oregon change his world files, helium instantly sought ineligible redress by approaching the Federal High Court In Abuja successful suit fig FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025 presided by justness HJ Yilwa.
He said that connected September 22, 2025, the tribunal granted a bid of protective orders, including; an injunction restraining the Vice Chancellor and absorption of UNN from tampering oregon continuing to tamper with his world records. The 2nd order, according to the Minister, was an bid of Mandamus compelling the University to merchandise his world transcripts, portion a 3rd bid was a directive to the supervisory authorities to guarantee compliance done their disciplinary power.
“These are not speculative claims, they are certified orders of the Federal High Court of Nigeria and that unsocial should settee the matter. Unfortunately alternatively of adhering strictly to the valid tribunal order, the Vice Chancellor of the UNN, a lawyer by profession, resorted to cyber bullying and politically-motivated media proceedings against Chief Nnaji,” the SA said.
He said further that, “It is progressively wide that this full occurrence is not astir acquisition oregon integrity, it is astir governmental desperation disguised arsenic world inquiry. The timing, the sources, the mendacious documents and the paid narratives each constituent to a coordinated run to resistance a reputable nationalist servant into the mud of partisan politics. But Nigerians are wiser than that.
“The facts are earlier the court, the papers is successful nationalist domain and the information cannot beryllium buried nether governmental propaganda.” He added that the Minister cannot beryllium distracted by those who privation to weaponise world institutio...
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