The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed deep disappointment over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to retain the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, despite damning revelations that both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have disowned the certificates he presented for his ministerial appointment.
According to detailed investigations by Premium Times, UNN confirmed that while Nnaji was admitted in 1981, there is no record showing he completed his studies or graduated in 1985 as he claimed. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, reportedly stated that the university could not verify the authenticity of the certificate attributed to it, adding that Nnaji’s name was missing from the 1985 graduating list.
Similarly, the NYSC said it found no evidence that Nnaji ever participated in the national service, describing the discharge certificate he presented as inconsistent with the records. Investigators also noted several irregularities — including a 13-month service duration instead of 12, the use of an alphabetical serial number (which was never part of NYSC’s numbering system in the 1980s), and the signature of an NYSC Director who was not in office at the time the certificate was supposedly issued.
Despite the mounting evidence, President Tinubu has continued to keep Nnaji in his cabinet, a decision the ADC described as “a grave insult to Nigeria’s democratic values and a mockery of integrity in governance.”
In a statement issued by the party, the ADC said:
“We are not surprised that President Tinubu has retained an alleged certificate forger in his cabinet. It simply confirms this administration’s tolerance for corruption and moral compromise. Keeping a man with such questionable credentials in charge of a ministry that should embody innovation and excellence is both tragic and shameful.”
The ADC called for Nnaji’s immediate suspension pending a full-scale, independent investigation and urged the Senate and the Department of State Services (DSS) to explain how the alleged forgery escaped their vetting process.
Meanwhile, documents obtained from court filings reveal that Nnaji himself admitted that the University of Nigeria has yet to issue him a certificate, blaming what he called the “non-cooperative attitude” of university officials. He has also filed a case seeking to compel UNN to release his transcript and academic record.
Observers say the controversy further exposes loopholes in Nigeria’s political vetting system and highlights the growing public frustration over the government’s reluctance to uphold accountability among top officials.
As pressure mounts, civil society organizations and opposition parties are calling for a transparent probe, warning that silence from the presidency on the matter will only deepen the public perception that ethical standards no longer matter in President Tinubu’s administration.