The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the acceptance of Uche Nnaji’s resignation as Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology by President Bola Tinubu as disappointing and a demonstration of weakness.
The ADC also alleged that the development affirms the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a nest of certificate forgers, accusing the party of providing refuge for people of questionable character.
The position of the ADC was conveyed in a statement on Wednesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, which comes on the heels of Nnaji’s resignation from Tinubu’s cabinet on Tuesday after a Premium Times investigation revealed that he did not complete his studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and that both the bachelor’s degree and NYSC certificate he presented to the Presidency, the Senate and security agencies were forged.
The ADC, in its reaction, said the Tinubu administration should have taken a tougher stance on the matter rather than just allowing Nnaji to resign.
It accused the government of sending a wrong signal to Nigerians in its fight against corruption, saying that a government that claims to uphold integrity cannot afford to treat criminal conduct like a personal matter.
The party added that accepting Nnaji’s resignation without any consequence is a demonstration that the Tinubu government is promoting dishonesty.
Abdullahi cautioned that the government must not cover up the allegations against Nnaji.
The statement called on security agencies to take up the matter, and if found guilty, Nnaji should be made to face appropriate sanctions according to the law.
The full statement read, “The ADC believes that the decision of President Tinubu to merely accept the offending former minister’s resignation instead of taking a tougher stance gives the unfortunate impression that the President is sympathetic to such behaviour.
“We are equally appalled that the Minister was allowed to quietly resign after publicly admitting that the certificates he presented were not issued by the relevant institutions. This sends the wrong message to Nigerians, especially the youth, that dishonesty carries no consequence in public life.
“It is imperative to reiterate that both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) officially disowned the certificates Mr. Nnaji presented for his ministerial appointment, while court filings by the Minister himself confirmed that UNN never awarded him any degree certificate.
“In this regard, by simply accepting his resignation, President Tinubu has shown that for whatever reason, his administration is willing to let corrupt officials off the hook easily and he is not willing to set example for those who serve under him that dishonesty has serious consequences.
“As mentioned in our initial statement on this subject, Nigerians are aware that this is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern that has defined the APC government since its inception.
“From one certificate scandal to another, Nigerians have watched the APC turn dishonesty into an identity, offering sanctuary to people with questionable integrity and forged. Indeed, if the President cannot act firmly in a case that was this clear, how can Nigerians trust his government to fight corruption in any other form?
“As a party, we therefore call on relevant law enforcement agencies to pursue an independent investigation into the matter, noting that resignation does not erase criminal liability. Forgery is not a private offence, it is a crime. If found guilty, Mr. Nnaji should be prosecuted in accordance with the law. Anything less will amount to a cover-up.”
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