Certificate Forgery: Minister Boycotts Press Conference, Calls Out Mbah, UNN

The Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, on Monday, failed to appear at a press conference his office convened to address allegations that he forged his university and national youth service certificates.

Journalists from various local and international media organisations had thronged the conference room of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council in Abuja following an invitation titled “Minister Speaks”, which gave the impression that Mr Nnaji would personally respond to the growing scandal.

However, after an hour and a half of waiting, the minister was nowhere to be seen. The briefing, initially scheduled for 2 p.m., eventually commenced around 3:30 p.m., with his spokesperson, Mr Robert Ngwu, standing in for him.

The conference followed a PREMIUM TIMES investigative report published on Saturday, which detailed how Mr Nnaji allegedly forged a University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to secure his ministerial appointment in 2023.

Defensive Briefing, Unclear Evidence

During the briefing, Mr Ngwu distributed two documents to journalists: a blurred group photograph said to be of UNN’s 1985 graduating class and a December 2023 letter from the university registrar to Peoples Gazette, which appeared to affirm that Mr Nnaji graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Honours, Lower Division).

READ ALSO: Tinubu’s Minister Admits to Certificate Forgery

But the documents raised fresh doubts rather than clarifying the controversy. The registrar’s letter identified the minister as “Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji”, while the class list bore the name “Nnaji Uchenna G”. When a Channels Television reporter pointed out the inconsistency, Mr Ngwu brushed it aside, claiming that “Uchechukwu and Uchenna mean the same thing in Igbo land.”

Blame Game and Political Allegations

The spokesperson further alleged that the forgery scandal was politically motivated, accusing Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah of masterminding what he described as a “false narrative and political intrigue”.

READ ALSO: Oyo Governor: It Is My Turn; I Have Paid My Dues – Adelabu

“We have good records that he (Mr Mbah) is the one behind the mask,” Mr Ngwu declared, without providing any evidence to substantiate his claims. He also alleged that the university’s changing position on the minister’s academic record was due to the emergence of “two PDP card-carrying members” as acting and substantive vice-chancellors.

UNN Recants Earlier Position

Contrary to the December 2023 letter circulated at the briefing, the UNN registrar’s office has since withdrawn its earlier claim that Mr Nnaji graduated from the university. In a letter sent to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025, the university disowned the certificate.

Further, on 2 October, the current vice-chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, confirmed—via a Freedom of Information response to PREMIUM TIMES—that Mr Nnaji did not complete his studies and could not have been issued a valid certificate.

Tense Atmosphere, Abrupt End

When pressed on why the minister failed to attend the conference, Mr Ngwu offered no clear explanation, saying only that UNN had yet to issue the minister’s “statement of results”. Attempts by reporters to ask follow-up questions were met with resistance, leading to a brief commotion before the session ended abruptly.

READ ALSO: Kaduna PDP Suspends Secretary Over Alleged Anti-Party Activities

Allegations of certificate forgery have trailed Mr Nnaji since July 2023, when he was nominated as minister by President Bola Tinubu. Despite persistent public scrutiny, Monday’s briefing offered little clarity—deepening doubts over his academic claims and raising fresh questions about accountability within the federal cabinet.

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