Certificate Scandals: Enugu denies complicity, urges Minister to take responsibility, clarify issues to Nigerians

*The Enugu State Government of Nigeria denies involvement in current allegations of certificate forgeries against Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, asserting the Minister ‘must carry his own cross and clear his name before Nigerians instead of dragging the government into issues’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Enugu State Government of Nigeria has denied sponsoring allegations of certificate forgery against Chief Chief Uche Nnaji, Honourable Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology.

The State Government urged Nnaji to “carry his cross” and clear his name before Nigerians in respect of alleged forgery of both his University Degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate earlier submitted to the country’s authorities when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him a Minister.

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Mr. Chukwuemeka Nebo, Director of Information in the Enugu State Ministry of Information and Communication, in a statement Monday, October 6, 2025, said the state had no hand whatsoever in the controversies surrounding Minister Nnaji’s academic records.

Nebo stated: “The Enugu State Government dissociates itself completely from these allegations.

“The Honourable Minister must carry his own cross and clear his name before Nigerians, instead of dragging the government into issues that are entirely personal to him.”

The Director of Information and Communication also recalled that Chief Nnaji had invited reporters to a world press conference scheduled for Monday at 2:00 p.m. to address the matter, but failed to show up.

The statement noted: “A large number of Nigerian and international journalists reportedly gathered on the Minister’s invitation to hear directly from him.

“But rather than appear before them to answer questions and establish his innocence, the Minister absconded, leaving behind proxies who could not withstand the barrage of legitimate questions from journalists.”

Nebo also asked: “Who can narrate Chief Nnaji’s UNN story better than him? Why invite the media, only to outsource the conference? Why send third parties, who lack the answers to critical questions, if he truly has nothing to hide?

“Did he, for his screening (for Ministerial appointment), present a purported degree certificate to the Senate showing that he graduated from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in July 1985?”

The Enugu State Director of Director of Information and Communication further quipped: “Is it true that he deposed in a Federal High Court filing in Abuja that he was not issued any degree certificate by UNN and, if so, how did he come about the degree certificate he presented to the Senate?

“Is it also true that while he claims to have graduated in July 1985, he applied to the University to retake Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the September 1985 Supplementary Examination, having failed the course?

“Is it also true that the University, in a November 8, 1985 letter, informed Uche Nnaji that he again failed Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the Supplementary Examinations, but could register to retake the course in the June 1986 examinations, provided he paid an examination fee of N4.00 (Four naira)?”

He asked: “Is it true that on January 3, 1986, he again applied to retake the Virology (Course code: MCB 431) examination in June 1986, stating in his letter that the receipt for the payment of the N4.00 (Four Naira) resit fee had been attached?

“Is it true that while he claims to be in possession of a University degree, he only submitted his Secondary School WASC Certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his participation in the 2023 Governorship Election?”

The statement asked: “Why did Uche Nnaji’s proxy state at the Abuja press conference that the Minister ‘graduated’, while avoiding stating categorically that he was issued a degree certificate?

“Did he also present a purported NYSC discharge certificate, showing that he commenced his National Service in April 1985, three months before his supposed graduation, and served until July 1986 — an unusual duration of 13 months instead of the usual 12 months of national service?”

According to Nebo, “whereas the CEO of the NYSC at the time he claimed to have undergone the National Service was Col. Edet Akpan (January 1984 to December 1987), Uche Nnaji’s NYSC discharge certificate was signed by Col. Animashaun Braimoh, who was NYSC CEO from January 1988 to December 1990.

“Is it true that NYSC certificates issued up till October 1990 had six-digit numbering devoid of alphabetic characters, but Uche Nnaji’s discharge certificate, supposedly issued in 1986, was numbered A231309, which includes the alphabet ‘A’?”

The Director stated: “And above all, is it a fact that he deposed to an affidavit in the suit he filed in court that UNN did not issue him any certificate?

“And if that is the case, Nigerians want to know how he came about the certificate he submitted to the Senate of his own free will in 2023.

“These are the clarifications Nigerians earnestly yearn for, and Chief Uche Nnaji is urged to brave up to clear his name, if he is truly innocent, rather than trading blames.”

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