The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has pleaded with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to release his academic transcript “without further delay” and stop politicising his academic record.
Nnaji, who is facing allegations of certificate forgery, insisted that he bagged a BSc degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) in 1985, and accused the university of withholding his transcript for political reasons.
Speaking through his spokesman, Dr Robert Ngwu, at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, the minister said, “The University of Nigeria, Nsukka must uphold its proud motto of restoring the dignity of man. It must regain its integrity by distancing itself from political manipulation and reaffirming the authenticity of its own official record.”
The minister accused the university of issuing two conflicting reports on his academic history.
According to him, while a 2023 letter signed by the Registrar, Dr Celine Ngozi Nnebedum, confirmed his admission in 1981 and graduation in 1985, the same university later wrote another letter in May 2025 claiming there was no record of his graduation.
At the briefing, Nnaji also tendered the 1985 graduation brochure, which carried his picture and name as Nnaji Uchenna G, stating that it was evidence of his successful completion of the programme.
Asked about discrepancies between the names “Nnaji Uchenna G” and “Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji,” his spokesman argued that it made no difference.
“Many Igbo names mean the same thing,” Ngwu said, dismissing the controversy as unnecessary.
Nnaji accused unnamed political actors of using the institution to tarnish his reputation.
“It is increasingly clear that this entire episode is not about education or integrity, it is about political desperation, disguised as academic inquiry. The timing, the sources, the false documents, and the paid narratives all point to a coordinated campaign to drag a reputable public servant into the mud of partisan politics,” he alleged.
He further claimed that despite a subsisting court order compelling UNN to release his transcript, the vice chancellor had refused to comply, preferring instead to engage in “cyberbullying and politically motivated media trial.”
The minister maintained that the case went beyond his personal records, stressing it was about protecting the credibility of higher institutions in Nigeria.
“This is not about one man’s record, it is about protecting truth, preserving institutional honour, and ensuring that no university in Nigeria ever becomes a pawn in partisan politics,” Nnaji added.
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