The controversy over the academic qualifications of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, took a dramatic turn on Monday after his media aide, Robert Ngwu, accused Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, of orchestrating a smear campaign against his principal.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Ngwu dismissed reports that Nnaji forged his university and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates, describing the claims as politically motivated.
“All these sponsored events are being coordinated by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State. The governor had given a new name to all his problems, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji,” he alleged.
But in a swift rebuttal, Governor Mbah denied any involvement, urging the minister to face his troubles.
“Carry your cross,” the governor was quoted as saying through his aides, insisting that his administration had no connection to the unfolding scandal.
The latest development follows a Premium Times investigation that alleged that Nnaji submitted forged academic and NYSC certificates during his ministerial screening in 2023.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, reportedly disowned the certificate, stating that although Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.
In a response to a Freedom of Information request dated October 2, 2025, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya wrote, “From our records, we cannot confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985. There are no records showing that he completed his studies.”
This contradicted an earlier letter from UNN’s Registrar, Celine Nnebedum, who, in December 2023, confirmed Nnaji’s graduation, but later, in May 2025, told the Public Complaints Commission that the minister’s name was missing from the 1985 graduation list.
According to Ngwu, Nnaji had requested his academic transcript to clear the air, but the university failed to release it despite a court order.
“We have information that the minister’s file was kept under lock and key in the Vice-Chancellor’s office. Why would the file of a serving minister of the Federal Republic be sitting in your office?” Ngwu queried.
He also addressed concerns about discrepancies in the minister’s name, arguing that in Igbo culture, “Uchenna” and “Uchechukwu” essentially mean the same thing and are used interchangeably.”
In September, Nnaji filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission, UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and others, seeking to restrain the university from tampering with his records.
At Monday’s hearing, his legal team, led by Sebastian Hon (SAN), accused the media of damaging the minister’s reputation amid ongoing litigation.
Counsel to UNN, E.M. Asogwa, however, insisted the university had acted within the law. The Minister of Education and the NUC were not represented in court.
Enugu Govt Washes Hands Off
Meanwhile, Enugu State’s Director of Information, Chukwuemeka Nebo, dismissed claims that the government was linked to the matter.
He said, “The Enugu State Government dissociates itself completely from these allegations. The honourable minister must carry his own cross and clear his name before Nigerians, instead of dragging the government into issues that are entirely personal to him.”
Nebo criticised the minister’s failure to confront the issue personally, saying, “A large number of Nigerian and international journalists reportedly gathered on the minister’s invitation to hear directly from him.
“But rather than appear before them to answer questions and establish his innocence, the minister absconded, leaving behind proxies who could not withstand the barrage of legitimate questions from journalists.”
The director questioned the minister’s decision to delegate the press briefing to proxies, asking, “Who can narrate Chief Nnaji’s UNN story better than him? Why invite the media, only to outsource the conference? Why send third parties, who lack the answers to critical questions, if he truly has nothing to hide?”
Nebo outlined a series of questions the public expects the minister to answer, particularly surrounding his academic and service records.
He further stated, “Did he, for his screening, present a purported degree certificate to the Senate showing that he graduated from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in July 1985?
“Is it true that he deposed in a Federal High Court filing in Abuja that he was not issued any degree certificate by UNN and, if so, how did he come about the degree certificate he presented to the Senate?
“Is it also true that while he claims to have graduated in July 1985, he applied to the university to retake Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the September 1985 Supplementary Examination, having failed the course?
“Is it also true that the university, in a November 8, 1985 letter, informed Uche Nnaji that he again failed Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the Supplementary Examinations, but could register to retake the course in the June 1986 examinations, provided he paid an examination fee of N4.00 (Four naira)?
“Is it true that on January 3, 1986, he again applied to retake the Virology (Course code: MCB 431) examination in June 1986, stating in his letter that the receipt for the payment of the N4.00 (Four Naira) resit fee had been attached?”
The statement also raised questions about the credentials the minister submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission during the 2023 governorship election.
Nebo added, “Is it true that while he claims to be in possession of a university degree, he only submitted his Secondary School WASC Certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission for his participation in the 2023 governorship election?
“Why did Uche Nnaji’s proxy state at the Abuja press conference that the minister ‘graduated’, while avoiding stating categorically that he was issued a degree certificate?”
Further scrutiny was directed at the minister’s National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.
The statement questioned, “Did he also present a purported NYSC discharge certificate showing that he commenced his national service in April 1985, three months before his supposed graduation, and served until July 1986 — an unusual duration of 13 months instead of the usual 12 months of national service?
“Whereas the CEO of the NYSC at the time he claimed to have undergone the national service was Col. Edet Akpan (January 1984 to December 1987), Uche Nnaji’s NYSC discharge certificate was signed by Col. Animashaun Braimoh, who was NYSC CEO from January 1988 to December 1990.
“Is it true that NYSC certificates issued up till October 1990 had six-digit numbering devoid of alphabetic characters, but Uche Nnaji’s discharge certificate, supposedly issued in 1986, was numbered A231309, which includes the alphabet ‘A’?”
The statement concluded with what Nebo described as the core of the controversy.
“Is it a fact that he deposed to an affidavit in the suit he filed in court that UNN did not issue him any certificate? And if that is the case, Nigerians want to know how he came about the certificate he submitted to the Senate of his own free will in 2023.
“These are the clarifications Nigerians earnestly yearn for, and Chief Uche Nnaji is urged to brave up to clear his name, if he is truly innocent, rather than trading blames,” Nebo said.
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