The Enugu State Government has formally dissociated itself from the certificate forgery allegations surrounding the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji. This follows the Minister’s accusation that Governor Peter Mbah is orchestrating a “politically motivated witch-hunt” against him.
The Minister, speaking through his spokesperson Dr. Robert Ngwu on Monday, alleged that Governor Mbah aims to discredit him to clear a path for the Governor’s alleged plan to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and seek a second term. “Mbah wants Nnaji out of his way… He wants to join APC, but knowing that Nnaji is there, he is not comfortable,” Ngwu stated.
In a swift and firm response, the Enugu State Government denied any involvement. The Director of Information, Chukwuemeka Nebo, issued a statement clarifying the government’s position, asserting that the Minister must personally address the allegations. “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 statement read.
The government’s statement also highlighted what it described as the Minister’s evasion of direct accountability. It noted that Mr. Nnaji had invited journalists to a world press conference but failed to appear, instead sending proxies who could not answer questions satisfactorily.
The statement proceeded to list specific queries it believes the Minister must answer for the Nigerian public. These include clarifying the authenticity of his degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and explaining alleged discrepancies in his academic records, such as retaking a Virology course after his purported graduation date.
Further concerns were raised about inconsistencies in his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, including its serial number format and the signature of the issuing official. The government also questioned why the Minister submitted only his West African School Certificate (WASC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2023 gubernatorial election, despite claiming to hold a university degree.
“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,” Nebo concluded.
