A bitter public standoff has erupted between the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, and Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State over allegations that the minister submitted forged academic and NYSC documents — and both sides are doubling down in a war of words.
Accusations and Denials Fly
The controversy flared further on Monday when Robert Ngwu, media aide to Minister Nnaji, accused Governor Mbah of masterminding a smear campaign aimed at undermining the minister’s reputation.
Ngwu insisted that the allegations of forgery are politically motivated, and dismissed them as coordinated attacks by forces aligned with the governor.
In a swift counterattack, the Enugu State Government denied any involvement.
Through his spokesperson, Governor Mbah urged the minister to shoulder the burden of proving his innocence, saying: “Carry your cross.”
University of Nigeria, Nsukka: Records in Dispute
The central question in this battle is whether Nnaji legitimately earned a degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
A Premium Times investigation contends that he submitted academic and NYSC certificates during his ministerial screening that may have been forged.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, UNN’s Vice‑Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, stated there is no record confirming Nnaji’s graduation from the university in July 1985 — the year he claimed to have graduated.
This contradicts an earlier December 2023 letter from the university’s Registrar, Celine Nnebedum, which had affirmed his graduation.
But by May 2025, the institution told the Public Complaints Commission that Nnaji’s name was missing from the official 1985 graduation list.
Nnaji’s team claims he attempted to retrieve his academic transcript, even invoking a court order, but that UNN has refused to comply, allegedly locking the file in the Vice‑Chancellor’s office.
Proxy Speeches & Igbo Name Nuances
During a press conference in Abuja, Nnaji’s proxies attempted to defend the minister publicly — but Enugu’s spokesmen criticized the decision sharply.
They questioned why the minister avoided facing journalists directly, instead sending surrogates who could not adequately respond to queries.
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In defending inconsistencies in names, Ngwu argued that in Igbo culture, “Uchenna” and “Uchechukwu” are often used interchangeably — suggesting that discrepancies in the minister’s name on different documents are culturally acceptable and not intentional misrepresentation.
Questions from Enugu Government
The Enugu Information Directorate laid out a rigorous set of questions for Nnaji to answer, demanding clarity on several key points:
1. Did he present a degree certificate to the Senate indicating he graduated from UNN in 1985?
2. In a sworn affidavit in court, he reportedly claimed UNN never issued him a certificate — so how did he later furnish a degree to the Senate?
3. Did he attempt a retake of a failed course (Virology, course code MCB 431) in September 1985, and if so, how does that square with his alleged July 1985 graduation?
4. How did his NYSC discharge certificate (purportedly with the signature of a director active years later) come into existence, especially given discrepancies in numbering conventions at the time?
5. Why did he use “proxy speakers” for press events, rather than address his critics and the public directly?
The Legal Battle Heats Up
To halt the controversy, Nnaji brought a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja. He named the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, the Vice-Chancellor, and others, seeking to prevent the university from altering or suppressing his records.
At recent hearings, Nnaji’s legal team (led by SAN Sebastian Hon) accused the media of smearing the minister’s character amid ongoing litigation.
UNN’s counsel, however, maintained that the university acted within its legal bounds. The Minister of Education and NUC did not appear in court.
