Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has firmly denied allegations of certificate forgery, insisting that his academic credentials from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), are genuine and verifiable.
Addressing journalists through his spokesman, Dr Robert Ngwu, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, September 6, 2025, Nnaji stated that he graduated from UNN in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Honours) Lower Division. He described recent media reports questioning his qualifications as “baseless and politically motivated lies” designed to tarnish his reputation and derail his efforts to advance Nigeria’s innovation and technology sector.
According to Nnaji, the University of Nigeria officially confirmed his graduation in a letter dated December 21, 2023, signed by Mrs I.A.S. Onyeador on behalf of the Registrar, Dr (Mrs) Celine Ngozi Nnebedum. He emphasized that the confirmation aligns with UNN’s 1985 Convocation Brochure, which lists his name among graduates of that academic year — a record he said remains in the institution’s permanent archives.
The Minister questioned the authenticity of a subsequent letter issued in May 2025, which allegedly denied his academic record, suggesting that the development coincided with what he called “political interference” following the appointment of two known members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to key administrative positions in the university. He alleged that the timing of the letter’s release was not coincidental but part of a broader attempt to discredit him.
Nnaji revealed that he has taken legal action to protect his academic records, filing a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025). Justice H.J. Yilwa, he noted, granted injunctions restraining UNN management from altering or tampering with his records and ordered the institution to release his transcript. The Minister stated that the case remains before the court, expressing confidence that the truth will prevail.
Reiterating his position, Nnaji declared that “the truth is clear, the records are valid, and the law is on the side of justice.” He urged the University of Nigeria to uphold its core values and motto, “To Restore the Dignity of Man,” by distancing itself from political manipulation and reaffirming the integrity of its official records.
Concluding his remarks, the Minister described the controversy as “political desperation disguised as academic inquiry,” stressing that it was a deliberate attempt to distract him from delivering on his mandate to strengthen Nigeria’s science, technology, and innovation sectors. He called on Nigerians to see through what he termed a “coordinated campaign of misinformation” and reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, service, and national development.
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