The Enugu State Government has distanced itself from the certificate forgery allegations trailing the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, urging him to “carry his cross” and personally clear his name before Nigerians.
In a statement issued by the Director of Information, Ministry of Information and Communication, Chukwuemeka Nebo, the state government said it had no connection to the controversies surrounding the minister’s academic and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) credentials.
“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 said.
The government’s statement followed reports that the minister had invited journalists to a world press conference in Abuja on Monday to address the allegations but failed to appear, leaving aides to respond on his behalf.
According to Nebo, the minister’s decision to delegate such a sensitive and personal matter to proxies raised further doubts about his claims.
“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?” he queried.
The state government noted that Nigerians were asking legitimate questions about the authenticity of Nnaji’s academic and NYSC records.
It questioned the minister’s alleged presentation of a University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate during his Senate screening despite reportedly admitting in a court filing that the university did not issue him a certificate.
The statement also raised concerns over claims that Nnaji failed a Virology course in 1985, reapplied to retake it in 1986, and yet claimed to have graduated in 1985.
On the NYSC controversy, the government pointed out inconsistencies in the discharge certificate purportedly presented by Nnaji, including discrepancies in service dates and the name of the then-Director-General of the Corps.
“While he claims to have served from April 1985 to July 1986 — an irregular duration of 13 months — the certificate was allegedly signed by Col. Animashaun Braimoh, who only became NYSC Director-General in 1988, years after the supposed service period,” Nebo noted.
The Enugu State Government maintained that the minister owed Nigerians clear and direct answers, adding that it would not be drawn into controversies that were personal to him.
