Uche Nnaji, who resigned on Tuesday as Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has claimed that his decision to step down was a “personal choice” and not an admission of guilt, despite mounting evidence that he forged both his university degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
Nnaji’s resignation came just days after an in-depth investigation by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that the academic credentials he submitted for his 2023 ministerial nomination were forged. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the NYSC have officially disowned the certificates, following Freedom of Information requests submitted by the newspaper.
‘Not an Admission of Guilt’
In a statement issued late Tuesday night, the former minister said his resignation was intended to “respect the sanctity of due process” and allow judicial proceedings on the matter to proceed without interference.
“My decision to step aside is therefore a personal choice – not an admission of guilt, but rather a principled decision to respect the sanctity of due process and to preserve the integrity of the judicial proceedings currently before the court,” he said.
Denial and Accusations of a Political Witch-hunt
Nnaji dismissed the media reports about his forged credentials as a “politically motivated” smear campaign.
“Over the past week, an orchestrated sustained campaign of falsehood, politically motivated, and malicious attacks have been waged against my person, integrity, and office,” he said.
He claimed the allegations were intended to distract from the work of his ministry and undermine President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The former minister is currently involved in a lawsuit against UNN, its Vice-Chancellor Simon Ortuanya, the Ministry of Education, and others. He filed the suit to prevent the release of his academic records to media organisations, including PREMIUM TIMES, further raising questions about his credentials.
Background of the Scandal
The controversy dates back to July 2023, when Nnaji was included in President Tinubu’s first list of ministerial nominees. Since then, critics have questioned the authenticity of his educational qualifications.
PREMIUM TIMES’s investigation, published Sunday, confirmed that both the degree certificate Nnaji claimed to have obtained from UNN and the NYSC discharge certificate he submitted were forged. The report stated that Nnaji had, in fact, admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate.
Despite the weight of evidence, including official disavowals by the issuing institutions, Nnaji continued to maintain his innocence — until his resignation.
Public Reaction and Fallout
The scandal has sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians calling for his prosecution and a broader investigation into credential fraud among public officials. On Monday, the former minister failed to attend a press conference scheduled by his office to address the matter. His aides, who appeared on his behalf, made unsubstantiated claims, including the assertion that he did graduate from UNN.
So far, the presidency has not issued an official statement on the resignation or the forgery allegations.
What Next?
While Nnaji says he is stepping aside to allow legal processes to run their course, the nature of the case — involving multiple institutions and forged official documents — could lead to criminal prosecution if the courts confirm the forgeries.
His resignation marks the first ministerial exit from Tinubu’s cabinet under a cloud of scandal and raises fresh concerns about the vetting process for public office holders in Nigeria.
