The Federal High Court in Abuja witnessed a heated courtroom exchange on Monday as the legal team of the embattled Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, expressed outrage over a PREMIUM TIMES investigation alleging certificate forgery.
Mr. Sebastian Hon, SAN, lead counsel for the minister, raised concerns during the first hearing of the minister’s civil suit concerning his academic records at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The suit names the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice-Chancellor Simon Ortuanya, and other university officials as defendants.
Mr. Hon referenced a PREMIUM TIMES report published on Saturday, which claimed that Mr. Nnaji submitted forged UNN and National Youth Service Corps certificates to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate for his ministerial appointment in 2023. According to the lawyer, the publication contradicted the court’s expectations that parties maintain the status quo after being served.
He stated that despite service of court processes on the 3rd to 7th respondents on September 29, the 4th respondent issued a letter to PREMIUM TIMES on October 2 claiming that Mr. Nnaji was not a UNN graduate. The newspaper subsequently published a report titled, “Investigation: The serial certificate forger in President Tinubu’s cabinet”, on October 4.
“This publication is damaging to my client,” Mr. Hon told the court, adding that the minister plans to file further processes in response.
The university’s lawyer, E.M. Asogwa, representing the 3rd to 7th respondents, stated that while he would not lend credibility to Mr. Hon’s claims, he would advise his clients to maintain status quo pending the substantive hearing. He further noted that the respondents remain within the timeframe to file their responses.
The presiding judge, Hauwa Yilwa, did not comment on Mr. Hon’s complaints and adjourned the matter until November 10 for continuation.
The controversy stems from longstanding allegations that Mr. Nnaji did not complete his degree at UNN. PREMIUM TIMES’ two-year investigation indicated that the certificates he presented were forged. UNN’s Vice-Chancellor later confirmed that while Mr. Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he never graduated and never collected a degree. Similar concerns were raised by the NYSC regarding the authenticity of his national service certificate.
In his court filings, Mr. Nnaji admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate, accusing university officials of withholding his academic records. Through his suit, he seeks prerogative orders restraining UNN and its officials from tampering with his records, compelling the release of his transcripts, and asking the Minister of Education and the NUC to supervise the process.
The judge had previously granted three of his prayers in a September 22 ruling but declined to issue any injunctive orders against the defendants. Monday’s session marked the next stage of the hearing.