Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an investigation into the academic credentials of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet members, following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology.
Nnaji stepped down on Tuesday after facing allegations that he forged the credentials submitted to both President Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial screening.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Abubakar criticized the administration’s handling of the matter, saying Nnaji should not have been allowed to resign voluntarily.
“Tuesday’s resignation of Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration,” the statement reads.
“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.”
Abubakar further described Nnaji’s resignation as an indictment of the Department of State Services (DSS), which screened the former minister before his appointment.
He questioned how the DSS could have cleared Nnaji while reportedly flagging Nasir el-Rufai, the former Kaduna State governor, on security grounds.
“The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace,” Abubakar said.
“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?”
He added that the incident reflects a broader pattern of dishonesty within the administration, linking it to long-standing controversies surrounding President Tinubu’s own identity 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 institutionalized falsehood in public service.”
Abubakar concluded by calling for an independent and transparent probe into the educational and professional qualifications of all members of the Federal Executive Council, starting with President Tinubu.
“I, therefore, call for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, 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.”
The controversy recalls the Chicago State University (CSU) case, in which Tinubu’s academic records became a subject of legal scrutiny after Atiku requested a U.S. court to subpoena the institution in 2023.