Facts have emerged about how the minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji, approached a Federal High Court in Abuja for an interim injunction to bar the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) from releasing his academic record, an application turned down by the court.
The minister had dragged the Minister of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice Chancellor, its Registrar and the Senate of the institution before the court, seeking a restraining order from acting on the request to release his records.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa, however, turned down the minister’ request.
The minister had prayed the court for an order granting leave to the Applicant to issue the prerogative writ of prohibition on the 3th – 5th and the 7th Respondents (the VC, Registrar and Senate of the school) from tampering with or continuing to tamper with the Applicant’s academic records at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He also prayed for an order granting him leave to issue the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the 3rd – 5th and the 7th Respondents to release to the him his academic transcript at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“An order granting leave to the Applicant to issue the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the 1st and 2nd Respondents to ensure, utilising their supervisory and disciplinary powers, that the 3rd – 5th and the 7th Respondents release to the Applicant his academic transcript at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“An interim order of injunction restraining the 3d – 5th and the 7th Defendants from tampering or continuing to tamper with the Applicant’s academic records at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, pending the determination of the substantive Suit,” he prayed the court.
However, after listening to the submissions of Counsels, the court held, “I have therefore perused the 34 paragraph Affidavit and the 6 paragraph Affidavit of Urgency deposed to by the Applicant, the grounds upon which this application is made, the Exhibits attached thereto and the Further Affidavit of 6 paragraphs deposed to by Martin Luther Akawe.
“I have equally considered the Written Address of Counsel. I shall therefore refer to paragraphs 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29 of the Affidavit in support of this application, Exhibits 1-2D and paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the Further Affidavit.
“I’m of the humble view from the facts deposed in the affidavits, alongside the Exhibits attached, that the Applicant has sufficient interest in the matter to which this application relates. Thus, this application is meritorious. Consequently, I hereby grant prayer 1, 2 and 3 only.
“Prayer 4 is declined. Having been refused, the granting of reliefs 1-3 shall not serve as injunctive reliefs against any of the parties.”
Recall that in a letter by the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, to Premium Times newspaper dated October 2, 2025, the university had disowned Nnaji’s certificate.
The university maintained that the Minister did not complete his studies.
“We refer to your letter dated 29 September 2025 in respect of the above subject matter.
“We can confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.
“From every available records and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology. This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached),” Ortuanya wrote.
Instructively in his filing in the suit before the Court and also contrary to Nnaji’s claim in a 10-page document, including a UNN degree certificate, submitted to the Senate in August 2023 for ministerial screening, he has made a volt face, admitting to not having been issued his degree certificate.
He submitted, “That even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the 3rd–5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a letter dated 21st December 2023 to People’s Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated amongst other things as follows:
“‘This is to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons.) Lower Division.’”
