… Tinubu accepts resignation, says he’s target of blackmail
Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has resigned from office following damning allegations that he forged the academic certificates he submitted during his appointment process.
President Bola Tinubu, who appointed Nnaji in August 2023, has accepted his resignation, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
“He resigned today in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria,” Onanuga said.
“Nnaji said he has been a target of blackmail by political opponents. President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.”
The embattled minister’s resignation comes after a PREMIUM TIMES investigation revealed that Nnaji never completed his university education, and that the bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to President Tinubu, the Senate, and other government offices were forged.
The scandal deepened after a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed Nnaji’s attempt to block the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) from releasing his academic records.
READ ALSO: Alleged Certificate Forgery: UNN Tampering With Nnaji’s Academic Records, Spokesman Alleges
In a ruling delivered on September 22, Justice Hausa Yilwa declined to grant an injunction restraining UNN from disclosing the minister’s academic details.
“I find that the applicant has sufficient interest in the matter, and the application is partly meritorious. Accordingly, prayers 1, 2, and 3 are granted, while prayer 4, which sought an injunction, is declined,” the judge stated.
The court clarified, however, that its ruling did not stop any party from performing its lawful duties.
Nnaji’s resignation marks yet another high-profile exit from President Tinubu’s cabinet amid growing scrutiny over the integrity of public officials.
His departure has also intensified public debate about the vetting process for ministerial appointments and the rising number of credential-related scandals in government.