The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has accused the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, of orchestrating recent allegations of certificate forgery leveled against him.
Speaking through his spokesperson, Dr. Robert Ngwu, the Minister described the forgery claims as a politically motivated smear campaign aimed at discrediting him ahead of Governor Mbah’s rumoured defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Mbah wants Nnaji out of his way. He has given a new name to all his problems. He is seeking a second term in office, and the only way to achieve this is to get Nnaji out of the way. He wants to join APC, but knowing that Nnaji is there, he is not comfortable,” Ngwu alleged in Abuja.
An online publication had earlier alleged that Chief Nnaji forged the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) certificate he presented during his ministerial screening. The report claimed that the university had no academic records confirming his graduation.
In response, the Minister maintained that the allegations were baseless and that official documents from UNN validate his academic history. He called on the university’s leadership to resist political manipulation and uphold institutional integrity.
“This is not just about one man’s academic record; it is about protecting truth, preserving institutional honour, and ensuring that no university in Nigeria becomes a pawn in partisan politics,” he stated.
Ngwu confirmed that Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry. He cited a letter from UNN, dated December 21, 2023, confirming that “Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 and graduated in July 1985 with a Second Class (Honours) Lower Division.”
However, controversy arose when a conflicting letter, reportedly from UNN, emerged in May 2025 claiming there were no records of Nnaji’s graduation. Ngwu dismissed the letter as fake and politically instigated.
He further alleged that the Vice Chancellor of UNN is a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), acting under instructions from Governor Mbah to damage the Minister’s credibility.
Ngwu also revealed that Chief Nnaji had approached the courts in anticipation of an attempt to alter his academic records. On September 22, 2025, a court reportedly granted an injunction restraining the university from tampering with the Minister’s academic file and issued an order of mandamus compelling the release of his transcript — a directive the university has allegedly failed to comply with.
“Rather than adhering to the valid court order, the Vice Chancellor, a lawyer by profession, resorted to cyberbullying and politically motivated media trials against the Minister,” Ngwu claimed.
He concluded by asserting that the entire scandal is rooted in political scheming and has little to do with questions of academic integrity.
“It is increasingly clear that this entire issue is not about education or integrity but about political desperation disguised as academic inquiry. The timing, the sources, the false documents, and the paid narratives all point to a coordinated campaign to drag a reputable public servant into the mud of partisan politics,” Ngwu said.
