Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji

Abuja — The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, on Monday failed to appear at a press conference his office called to address allegations that he forged academic and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates.

The event, which was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Raw Materials Research and Development Council in Abuja, was meant to provide a platform for the minister to respond to an investigative report published on Saturday. The report alleged that Mr. Nnaji forged his University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree and NYSC discharge certificate, which he submitted for his 2023 ministerial appointment.

Minister Fails to Appear

Despite the invitation titled “MINISTER SPEAKS” giving the impression that Mr Nnaji would personally address journalists, the minister failed to show up. Journalists from various media outlets, both local and international, filled the venue ahead of the scheduled time. However, after over an hour of waiting, only his aides appeared.

The briefing did not start until 3:30 p.m., with the minister’s spokesperson, Robert Ngwu, leading the session in the absence of his principal.

Two-Year Investigation

Allegations of certificate forgery have trailed Mr Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu nominated him among the first batch of 28 ministers. Critics have long maintained that Mr Nnaji did not complete his university education and forged both his UNN and NYSC certificates.

Discrepancies in Documents Presented

During Monday’s press briefing, the minister’s media team distributed two documents to journalists:

1. A blurry group photo of UNN’s purported 1985 graduating class, and
2. A December 2023 letter from the UNN registrar to Peoples Gazette responding to an inquiry about Mr Nnaji’s academic records.

Mr Ngwu insisted that the minister graduated from UNN, saying:

“Chief Uche Nnaji is a proud alumnus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), having graduated in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry, with Second Class (Honours), Lower Division.”

However, scrutiny of the documents revealed discrepancies. The registrar’s letter identified the minister as “Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji,” while the class gallery bore the name “Nnaji Uchenna G.” When a Channels Television correspondent questioned the inconsistency, Mr Ngwu brushed it off, saying:

“You know, in Igbo land, Uchechukwu and Uchenna are the same thing.”

Political Accusations Without Evidence

The spokesperson also claimed that the allegations were politically motivated, accusing Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah of being behind a “false narrative and political intrigue.” He provided no evidence to support the accusation.

Mr Ngwu alleged that the university’s position changed after “two card-carrying members of the PDP suddenly emerged as Acting Vice-Chancellor and later Vice-Chancellor of UNN.”

However, in May 2024, UNN’s registrar’s office disowned its earlier letter that had acknowledged Mr Nnaji’s graduation. The office, in a subsequent letter to the Public Complaints Commission, stated that the minister’s certificate was not issued by the university.

UNN’s Final Confirmation

On 2 October 2024, UNN’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, responding to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by PREMIUM TIMES, confirmed that Mr Nnaji did not graduate from the institution, describing him as a drop-out who could not have been issued a valid certificate.

No New Evidence, Abrupt Ending

When asked why the minister himself did not attend the press briefing, Mr Ngwu gave no clear explanation. He also claimed that UNN had yet to issue the minister’s statement of results, refusing to elaborate further.

The session turned rowdy as journalists pressed for answers. The media team failed to present any new evidence to challenge the forgery findings, and questions were cut short before the briefing ended abruptly.