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The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology of Nigeria, Uche Nnaji, resigned only days after allegations that he had famed his academic credentials.
The resignation follows an investigation of newspapers claiming that NNAJI has filed forgery of President Bola Tinubu at his appointment in 2023.
President Bayo Onanuga’s spokesman confirmed Nnaji’s resignation in a post of X late on Tuesday, quoting the minister, saying he was “a target of blackmail by political opponents.”
Nnaji denied the allegations of counterfeiting and insisted that he graduated from the University of Nigeria, NSA (UNN) with a major in microbiology/biochemistry.
The allegations of forgery have caused outrage among some Nigerians, following a two -year investigation from the Premium Times.
Last week, UNN reported that she said there were no records confirming that the minister had graduated from a bachelor’s degree in 1985, as claimed.
A senior university employee told the document that NNAJI was accepted in 1981, but has never completed his studies or has received a certificate.
The National Youth Services Corps (NYSC) also stated that the compulsory NNAJI National Service certificate, presented in April 2023, cannot be checked.
Opposition leader Atiku Abubakar called for an independent and transparent investigation into the matter, saying that Nnaji should be “summarized and persecuted for fraud and forgery.”
“The Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who chaired their lives and resources,” said Abubakar of X.
Stopping or eliminating a minister is rare in Nigeria – NNAJI is only the second to leave the post, as President Tinubu took power in May 2023.
Last January, the then Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty of poverty Beta Edu was stopped after public outrage at a scandal with corruption. At the time when he was 37, he denied any misconduct.
Tinubu’s predecessor, the late Mohamadu Bukhari, fired only two ministers during his eight -year term.
