President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, following some allegations against him.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated in a statement that Uche Nnaji resigned on Tuesday in a letter thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
Onanuga added that Nnaji said he has been a target of blackmail by political opponents.
The Nigerian leader thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.
President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023.
It would be recalled that the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Simon Ortuanya, in a letter dated 2 October, through the UNN Registrar’s office in response to an FOI enquiry, maintained that although Mr Nnaji was admitted into the university in 1981, he neither graduated nor was issued any certificate.
“We wish to inform the Premium Times that although he (Nnaji) was admitted into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981, we have searched through the University of Nigeria graduation record for the 1985 session and we could not find Mr Nnaji Geoffrey Uchechukwu’s name,” the registrar’s office wrote.
The official stressed that “there is no indication that the degree certificate, which the minister possesses, was issued by the University of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, Robert Ngwu, Spokesperson for the Minister of Science and Technology, Uchenna Nnaji, alleged on October 7th that the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) was tampering with and manipulating the academic files of the minister.
The allegation comes as Nnaji is being accused of certificate forgery in 2023 following his Ministerial political appointment.
Through his spokesperson, Nnaji insisted he “graduated in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry, with Second Class (Honours) Lower Division.”
He also asserted that his claims were documented in university records, specifically citing the 1985 Convocation Brochure and a letter dated December 21, 2023 from UNN’s Registrar (Onyeador signing for the Registrar) confirming his admission in 1981 and his graduation in 1985.