Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has rubbished and completely made a caricature of the defence by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji on the controversy surrounding his degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Governor Mbah noted that from the affidavit deposed to by Nnaji before a Federal High Court in Abuja, the minister admitted that he was not issued a certificate by the UNN, yet present a degree certificate from the same institution during his Ministerial screening by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The new twist to the saga by Governor Mbah have further ignited public debate over academic integrity among public officials, with more demands by members of the public for an independent investigation into the matter.
Governor Mbah in buttressing how Nnaji personally robbed himself further, stressed that the minister submitted a degree certificate purportedly from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) during his ministerial confirmation process.
In the words of Mbah; “Since Nnaji contended that UNN never issued him such a certificate, it goes to show that the document is fraudulent”.
However, Nnaji through his spokesman, Dr Robert Ngwu, insisted that he is a bona fide alumnus of the UNN, saying that he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry in July 1985, stressing that the December 2023 letter by the university confirmed it.
Nnaji through his spokesperson, Ngwu pointedly accused Governor Mbah of orchestrating a politically motivated smear campaign to smear his reputation.
But, not ready to back down, Governor Mbah emphasised the need to raise some posers that need clarifications with regards to the controversy surrounding Nnaji’s academic claims.
Mbah asked; “Did Uche Nnaji present a purported degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, during his screening and if so, did UNN ever issue such a certificate?
“Available evidence from university records suggested otherwise. The UNN never awarded the degree Mr. Nnaji claims to possess. Findings from credible university sources indicate that the certificate tendered by the minister was never issued by UNN, implying that the document may have been forged”.
Mbah further noted that court documents revealed that Nnaji, in an affidavit filed at the Federal High Court, admitted he had not collected any certificate from UNN and sought an order from the court to compel the university to release his transcripts and restrain officials of the UNN from tampering with his records.
The Governor said that the admission by Nnaji in court, it is clear that the certificate he presented during ministerial vetting could not have originated from UNN, adding that internal communications within the university also suggested that Nnaji never completed his studies or graduated from the institution.
Mbah while referencing a December 2023 letter from UNN, which claimed that Nnaji graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry in July 1985, emphasised that the letter was disowned by the university.
In the words of Mbah; “Subsequent findings showed no record of Nnaji in the university’s graduation archives”.
