The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has lambasted President Bola Tinubu for retaining Uche Nnaji, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, in his cabinet despite damning revelations that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) disowned the certificates he presented for his appointment.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi on Monday, the ADC said it was “not surprised” by the development, describing the Tinubu administration’s silence as proof of its “ample tolerance for corruption of all kinds.”
The opposition party accused the government of condoning fraudulent behavior, saying that keeping a minister allegedly tainted by certificate forgery at the helm of a ministry meant to drive innovation was a “great disservice” to Nigeria.
“ADC is not surprised that despite mounting evidence and public outrage, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Mr. Uche Nnaji, remains in office after being accused and subsequently admitting that the certificates he presented were not issued by the relevant institutions and may have been forged,” the statement read.
Abdullahi said the scandal fits into what he described as a “long, public, and familiar record” of certificate controversies among officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“These recurring scandals and the persistent stench of certificate forgery are indeed reflective of a party that is foundationally accommodating of deceit and clearly unbothered by basic ethical considerations,” he said.
According to the ADC, credible reports have confirmed that both UNN and the NYSC have officially disowned the certificates Nnaji submitted during his ministerial screening, while court filings by the minister himself allegedly admit that UNN never issued him any degree certificate.
“If the Minister is not honourable enough to resign, why is the Tinubu administration still keeping him in office?” the ADC queried.
“By refusing to act, the Tinubu government and the APC are admitting their complicity in such fraudulent conduct at the highest levels of their government, and making a mockery of their claims to fighting corruption.”
The party further argued that the integrity of any government rests on the credibility of those appointed to serve, warning that Nigerians cannot be expected to trust a system “populated by people who have lied under oath about their qualifications.”
“In this particular instance, a ministry whose mandate is to drive innovation, research, and the advancement of knowledge is now tainted by the dubious credentials of the man that President Tinubu has found fit to serve,” the ADC said.
The party called on President Tinubu to immediately suspend Minister Nnaji pending a full, independent investigation into the certificate forgery allegations.
“If found guilty, he should not only be dismissed with ignominy, he should also face full prosecution for forgery and perjury,” the statement added. “Certificate forgery is not a clerical error, it is a crime. If proven, it must attract the full weight of the law.”
The ADC also faulted the Senate and the Department of State Services (DSS) for failing in their duty to properly vet ministerial nominees, insisting that both institutions must take responsibility for allowing “unqualified and dishonest” individuals to occupy sensitive positions.
“A Senate that has obliged itself unreservedly to the will of the President is liable to fail in its duty to the people,” the statement concluded.
The party maintained that the scandal surrounding Nnaji’s credentials underscores what it described as the “moral decay” within the APC government, insisting that Tinubu’s inaction has further eroded public confidence in his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.