Nigeria minister reply allegation of certificate forgery

Nigeria Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji don deny di accuse say e forge im degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates, but say na politicians for im state dey blackmail am.

Oga Nnaji don dey for di eye of di storm since tori pipo Premium Times publish one investigation wey dem do wey allege say di Minister no graduate from di University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) as e dey claim.

Di online newspaper also allege say di minister dey parade NYSC certificate wey be fake.

Premium Times say dem bin write Freedom of Information (FOI) letter to di Vice Chancellor of UNN, Simon U. Ortuanya, about oga Nnaji, and di VC reply dem say true-true, di Minister bin get admission for di University for 1981, but dem no get any record wey show say e graduate.

However, for one press conference wey di Minister office call dis Monday for Abuja, im tok-tok pesin Robert Ngwu tell tori pipo say di report by Premium Times na lies.

"Chief Uche Nnaji na proud alumnus of UNN, as e graduate for July 1985 wit a B.Sc. Degree for Microbiology/Biochemistry, wit second class (honours) lower division," Ngwu tok.

E also refer tori pipo to one letter by one former registrar of UNN on December 21, 2023, wey confam say Uche Nnaji bin graduate for di school.

"Two years later, in May 2025, one purported letter bin surface - wey di university allegedly write - wey suddenly claim say dem no get records of di Minister graduation. Di question wey evri Nigerian suppose ask na: Wetin change between December 2023 and May 2025?" Ngwu tok.

Di minister tok-tok pesin also say di Minister bin carry di mata go court wia di court bin give order to UNN, on 25 September dis year, for dem to release im academic transcript, among oda tins. But until today, di university neva release di transcripts.

During di press conference, BBC News Pidgin tori pesin ask di minister tok-tok pesin, wetin dem get to tok about di allegation of NYSC corticate forgery wey Premium Times claim, and e say dat one na "non-issue", bicos Premium Times for dia so-called investigation bin no publish any letter by NYSC wey tok say di Minister bin no do im National Service.

"Di Minister serve im kontri wella for Plateau State and dat one no dey in contention," Ngwu tok.

Although, for di PT investigation, dem show some differences wey dey for di NYSC certificate wey di Minister bin present give di Senate during im screening, wen you place am side by side wit oda NYSC certificates wey dem issue for di same 1986 wey di Minister claim say im serve.

Political witch-hunt

Ngwu tok say dis issue of certificate forgery against oga Uche Nnaji start wen "two card-carrying members of di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suddenly emerge as Acting Vice Chancellor and den Vice Chancellor" of UNN.

"Na on dat same political foundation Premium Times build dia lie-lie tori," e tok.

"E dey increasingly clear say dis entire episode no be about education or integrity but na about political desperation wey dem disguise as academic inquiry."

Wen tori pipo ask di Minister tok-tok pesin say, shey di Minister go kuku publish im certificates make all di forgery allegation die once and for all, e reply say di ministers bin don already submit di documents to di Department of State Services (DSS) and di Senate, during im ministerial clearance.

"Dem don bicom public documents and anybodi fit write FOI request to dem and dem go release am to di pesin," e tok.

"Di Honourable Minister no go dey distracted by lies or by dose wey dey weaponize institutions and media platforms for political gain."

Ngwu add say oga Uche Nnaji go file libel case for court against Premium Times and UNN for di blackmail wey dem dey blackmail am.

No be first time

Dis no be di first time wey top govment ministers for Nigeria dey chop accuse of certificate forgery.

For September 2018, Kemi Adeosun wey be di Minister of Finance dat time unda President Muhammadu Buhari, bin famously resign afta tori come out say she bin forge her NYSC exemption certificate.

She later explain say as she bin study abroad, she bin no dey know about di NYSC laws.

Also, tori bin come out in October of dat same 2018 say Adebayo Shittu, who be di minister for communication dat time, bin no do di mandatory one-year national service.

Di law for Nigeria be say anybodi wey graduate bifor e turn 30 years of age, must to do one-year compulsory national service, but oga Shittu bin join politics immediately afta im graduation and e no serve.

Di Minister dat time claim say as im win election for im state parliament immediately afta e graduate, dat one dey equal wit NYSC.

Despite dat report, oga Shittu serve im term complete - 2015 to 2019 - but President Buhari no reappoint am as Minister wen e win im second term.