ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has resigned from his post just days after allegations surfaced regarding the falsification of his academic credentials.
The resignation follows a newspaper investigation asserting that Nnaji had submitted falsified certificates to President Bola Tinubu during his ministerial appointment process in 2023.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed Nnaji’s departure in a post on X late on Tuesday, quoting the minister as stating he had been “a target of blackmail by political opponents.”
Nnaji has vehemently denied the accusations of forgery, maintaining that he did, in fact, graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) with a degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry. The forgery claims have ignited widespread public outrage among Nigerians, stemming from a two-year investigation conducted by the Premium Times newspaper.
Last week, UNN reportedly informed the publication that its records could not confirm the minister had graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1985, as he had previously claimed.
A senior university official reportedly told the paper that Nnaji was admitted in 1981 but never completed his studies or received a certificate.
Furthermore, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) stated that the mandatory certificate of national service presented by Nnaji in April 2023 could not be verified.
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The controversy has drawn the attention of opposition figures. Opposition leader Atiku Abubakar called for an independent and transparent investigation into the matter, stating Nnaji should have been “summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification.”
Abubakar posted on X that “Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources.”
Ministerial suspensions or removals are rare in Nigeria. Nnaji is only the second minister to leave office since President Tinubu assumed power in May 2023.
The first was the then-Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu, who was suspended last January following public outrage over an alleged corruption scandal.
Dr. Edu, 37, also denied any wrongdoing at the time. President Tinubu’s predecessor, the late Muhammadu Buhari, dismissed only two ministers throughout his entire eight-year tenure.