The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate suspension of Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, over allegations of certificate forgery.
The party said it was not surprised that President Bola Tinubu retained Nnaji despite the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) disowning the certificates he presented during his appointment screening.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the Tinubu administration’s silence on the issue as another sign of its “deep tolerance for corruption and deceit.”
The ADC condemned the situation as a national disgrace, arguing that Nigeria, a country blessed with highly qualified citizens, should not have a minister of science and technology tainted by fake academic credentials.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is not surprised that despite mounting evidence and public outrage, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Mr. Uche Nnaji, remains in office,” the statement read.
“He has admitted in court filings that the certificates he presented were not issued by the relevant institutions and may have been forged.”
According to the ADC, public reports have confirmed that both UNN and the NYSC have officially disowned the credentials Nnaji used to secure his appointment.
The party noted that Nnaji’s own court documents further exposed the scandal, showing that the university never issued him any degree certificate.
The ADC questioned why the Tinubu government had refused to act if the minister was unwilling to resign, describing the silence as “complicity in fraudulent conduct at the highest levels of government.”
“By refusing to act, the Tinubu government is making a mockery of its so-called anti-corruption fight,” the party said.
The ADC argued that the credibility of any government begins with the integrity of those in leadership. It said Nigerians could not be expected to trust a government that continues to harbor officials accused of perjury and forgery.
“A ministry responsible for driving innovation and research is now stained by the fraudulent credentials of its own minister,” the ADC lamented.
The party also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of having a history of certificate scandals among top officials, adding that the pattern reflects the moral decay within the ruling party.
The ADC demanded that Nnaji be suspended immediately and investigated independently.
“If found guilty, he should be dismissed and prosecuted. Certificate forgery is a crime, not an error. It must attract the full weight of the law,” the statement emphasized.
The party also urged the Senate and the Department of State Services (DSS) to review their vetting processes, holding them accountable for clearing nominees with questionable credentials.
“A Senate that rubber-stamps presidential nominees without scrutiny is failing in its duty to the Nigerian people,” the ADC warned.
The controversy surrounding Nnaji’s alleged forged certificates has intensified calls for stricter oversight in political appointments and a broader review of Nigeria’s vetting system.
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