•Lawyers’ body warns against sweeping case under the carpet 

•CISLAC wants ex-minister banned from public office for life

Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja, Wale Igbintade in Lagos and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and senior lawyers yesterday urged the federal government to launch a thorough investigation into allegations of certificates’ forgery against the erstwhile Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, insisting that his resignation should not end the matter.

Maintaining that resignation was not an atonement for forgery before the law, they warned that failure to pursue the case could erode public and international trust in government and embolden others to commit similar offences.

Leading the call for the investigation and possible prosecution, President of NBA, Afam Osigwe (SAN) described the allegations as “grave” and urged law enforcement agencies to act without delay.

“Before you talk about prosecuting Mr. Geoffrey Nnaji over the allegation of forging the certificate, there should first be an investigation carried out by the requisite law enforcement agency — in this case, maybe the police. And if that investigation confirms the allegation against him, then he should be prosecuted. But the matter should not just be swept under the carpet like that,” Osigwe said.

He stressed the importance of a transparent process, saying they raised grave allegations against him that he presented forged certificates to make the president believe that he is a person who has a university degree and is qualified to be given such an employment.

“This should be investigated to find out if indeed he presented forged certificates to the President, and to the National Assembly to procure his clearance as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he stated.

Osigwe maintained that resignation does not absolve anyone of potential criminal liability.

“If the allegations are established — and indeed the allegation is very weighty, very strong, and should not just be trifled with — then he should be prosecuted. This will also serve as an example to persons who may want to hold public office and who think they can pull the wool over the face of Nigerians by obtaining such positions with forged credentials. The investigation should be transparent, and the findings of the investigation should be made public,” he said.

The NBA President also dismissed suggestions that the federal government should be praised for accepting Nnaji’s resignation.

“The allegations were weighty, and it’s even unfortunate that the minister took so long to resign or to offer a credible explanation. When a minister resigns, you don’t need to praise the government for accepting it. What is important is that his resignation gives more room for proper attention to be placed on the allegation so that he will be thoroughly investigated,” he added.

In the same vein, Atiku berated the Bola Tinubu-led federal government for allegedly deploying corruption and forgery as state policy. He also called for investigations into the alleged forgery of the certificates of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Nnaji who resigned on Tuesday over allegations of forging his certificates.

The former Vice President questioned why the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El Rufai would be disqualified by the DSS for security reasons and Nnaji who forged his academic certificates would pass the scrutiny of the DSS.

Atiku in a statement he personally signed, noted that the development has once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Tinubu administration.

‘’What should ordinarily be a matter of national shame is now being disguised as a voluntary resignation, an attempt to whitewash yet another scandal that typifies the forgery-ridden character of this government.

‘’Let the truth be told: Uche Nnaji should not have been allowed the courtesy of resignation. He should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification. By permitting him to quietly exit through the backdoor, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.’

‘’What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same Department of State Services (DSS) which screened out Mallam Nasir el-Rufai for alleged ‘security concerns’ is the very agency that cleared this same character, Uche Nnaji.

‘’The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace. Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world and raises the question: how many more of such individuals are occupying sensitive positions in this government?

‘’This episode is not isolated. It is a reflection of a pattern, a rot that begins from the very top. The man who occupies the office of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, and academic records.

‘’From the Chicago State University saga to multiple contradictory claims under oath, the world has seen ample evidence that Nigeria today is led by a man who himself has been unable to credibly defend the authenticity of his own certificates.

‘’When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance. Tinubu’s personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has effectively institutionalised falsehood in public service. It is, therefore, unsurprising that his ministers and aides have taken after his example by falsifying documents, inflating records, and desecrating the moral foundation of our nation.

‘’I, therefore, call for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), beginning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources.

‘’Until this cleansing is done, Nigeria will continue to sink deeper into moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment. The time has come to rescue our country from the grip of deceit and restore integrity to public life,’’ he stated

For John Baiyeshea (SAN), in order to set a stage for prosecution, the police must now carry out an investigation and gather the evidence required to prosecute the former minister for forgery.

According to Baiyeshea, it is the Police that has the constitutional responsibility to investigate crime, and if there is need for prosecution, the constitutional place to go is the appropriate court designation for the purpose.

“Finally, my opinion is that if a prima facie case is established by police after investigation, the ex minister ought to be prosecuted. We cannot continue to cover up crime and criminals. Our society can not continue like this. We can never make progress by pampering criminals.

“That’s why corruption is so endemic and pandemic in Nigeria because those who steal our commonwealth are treated with kid gloves and are celebrated as heroes. They are bigger than the law and the entire legal system quite sadly”, he added.

Also, Moses Ebute, (SAN) and former Chairman of the Abuja branch of the NBA, stated that it is one thing to resign and another for the allegations leveled against him to be true. Ebute wondered whether the minister resigned to enable investigation into the allegations or that the allegations were true.

“If the former is the case then he ought to be investigated and if it is the latter, he ought to be prosecuted”, he said, “This will serve as a deterrent to others who are very desperate to occupy public office”.

The senior lawyer stressed that Nigeria cannot continue like this as a nation where those who are truly educated cannot get employment in the public services or occupy public offices as well.  “Enough is enough”, Ebute stated.

Echoing similar sentiments, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, said resignation should not be treated as a ‘get-out-of-jail-free card.’

“Lately, public officers holding very important positions have been enmeshed in various controversies on their qualifications. Many officers serving in this current administration have unresolved issues hanging on their credentials and qualifications.

“It’s therefore not enough for public officers who have been accused of certificate forgery or academic fraud to announce their resignations and run away with the crime committed. In this case, the ex-minister should be handed over to the security agencies for investigation and prosecution, if found culpable. When people commit offences and they are patted on their ugly backs, then we encourage fraud and give the impression that crime pays,” he said.

Reacting to the resignation of the science minister, Mr. Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), pointed out that it is the ideal thing to do, as it would pave the way for him to clear himself of the allegations. “It is instructive that the minister has resigned”, Akinlaja said, adding that the resignation does not signify the end of the controversy surrounding the issue of the alleged UNN and NYSC certificates.

He said: “The way it is, the resignation is capable of two different interpretations. It may be interpreted as a demonstration of nobility and integrity. This may be so because it is arguable that it is an indication that the man is sure of his innocence and would not want to give the impression that he is using public office to shield himself.”

The senior lawyer however noted that the resignation on the other hand, may be interpreted as admission of guilt.

“Therefore, it becomes imperative for the matter to be taken a notch further with a view to putting the matter beyond mere conjecture or peradventure.  The gentleman himself may even elect to have the matter duly investigated by the authorities for purposes of showing to the whole world that he is a man of untainted honour and integrity”, Akinlaja added.

However, for another senior lawyer, Mr George Ibrahim (SAN), the matter should just be rested following the resignation of the minister.

Besides, Ibrahim expressed belief that the plight of Nnaji has a political undertone because the same university had earlier cleared him of the said certificate forgery allegations.

“While I do not exonerate him of any wrong doing, I think it is enough that he has resigned as a mark of integrity. I think the whole thing is political judging from the fact that the university had since the year 2023 confirmed that he graduated from the university by the Registrar who deals with record keeping. The latest twist to me is baffling and leaves more to be desired”, Ibrahim stated.

For human rights lawyer, Mr Deji Adeyanju, who aligned himself with calls for the prosecution of the minister to serve as deterrent to others, he urged  Tinubu administration not to sweep the matter under the carpet.

For its part, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the involvement of a minister in the APC government in certificate forgery is merely indicative and actually confirms the party as a nest of certificate forgers

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the ADC described the President’s action as weak and disappointing, saying that a government that claims to uphold integrity cannot afford to treat criminal conduct like a personal matter.

ADC said that it  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.

According to Abdullahi: ‘’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.’’

The party said that as mentioned in their initial statement on the 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. 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.’’, the spokesman of ADC said.

Besides, a Rivers State based activist, Chetam Nwala, has called on Tinubu to immediately set up an independent investigative panel to examine alleged certificate forgery of the former minister.

Nwala who is also a Pan-Africanist said if found culpable, Nnaji and everyone involved should be arrested and prosecuted without delay.

In a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Nwala “The resignation of Hon Geoffrey Uche Nnaji following revelations surrounding his certificate scandal is a stark reminder of how deeply compromised and decayed Nigeria’s institutional integrity has become”.

He said the saga exposed the failure of the oversight systems and the inability of critical agencies like the Department of State Services (DSS) to conduct thorough background checks on individuals entrusted with public office, saying that what should have been a straightforward verification process has turned into national embarrassment.

“Hon. Nnaji’s case reflects a broader pattern of compromise by institutions that are meant to uphold due diligence and accountability.  We have reached a point where mediocrity and fraud thrive unchecked, while integrity is continually undermined by political interests. This has brought shame and ridicule to our nation.

“This issue mirrors the long-standing certificate controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu, an episode that has yet to be credibly resolved. Nigeria cannot continue on a path where its leaders are perpetually entangled in allegations of academic fraud. This is a stain on our national identity and global reputation,”Nwala added.

He however “called on the President to immediately set up an independent investigative panel to examine the matter comprehensively, stressing that if found culpable,  Nnaji and everyone involved must be arrested and prosecuted without delay.

Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for a life ban on Nnaji from holding public office, even as HallowMace Foundation Africa called on the Department of State Security (DSS) and the National Assembly (NASS) to apologise to Nigerians for the ‘international embarrassment’ arising from their institutional failures.

In an interview on Wednesday evening, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), said that Nnaji was recalcitrant, hence should never be allowed to hold public office in his lifetime.

“He did not resign of his own volition. He was forced by the public, the media, and the civil society to resign. He didn’t resign as an honourable man. He actually went to court to stop the university from releasing his record. In fact, we should ban him from public office for life,” he stated.

Also, in a statement jointly signed by its Executive Director, Anderson Osiebe, and its Head of Public Communications, Oguh Hyginus, HallowMace Foundation Africa maintained that the Nigerian public deserved transparent, accountable institutions that serve as effective gatekeepers against fraudulent public officers.

“The leadership of both screening institutions should issue public apologies to the Nigerian people for this grave failure of due diligence and outline concrete steps being taken to prevent recurrences.

“If the National Assembly and DSS, with their extensive resources and mandate, could not authenticate a certificate from a Nigerian institution, what confidence can citizens have in their ability to vet appointees for critical national positions?”  the organisation said.

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