Two prominent Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria, have demanded stringent laws against forgery.
Their comments come after the resignation of the former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji.
Even though Nnaji said his resignation was not an admission of wrongdoing, the civil society organisations stated that the certificate scandal involving the former minister showed that the National Assembly, Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies failed in their oversight and investigative duties.
The leader of the CSOs, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, told LEADERSHIP in an interview that the alleged Nnaji certificate forgery case showed a gap in Nigeria’s screening capacity.
Since the Constitution only demands a School Certificate for politicians to hold office, Rafsanjani cautioned politicians against obtaining fraudulent higher qualifications to secure appointments.
“The National Assembly and the Senate are not interested in doing any work – because they will approve anything the president or the executive wants, which is really abdicating their responsibility, because they had not taken the pain to go through the person’s credentials and make necessary enquiries about him.
“And also the DSS, which screens nominees for federal appointments just to ensure they are not supporting terrorism and criminality in Nigeria – they have all failed in this regard. In that case, it means there is a challenge with our institutional ability and capability to independently do things for the nation outside the president’s interest.
“So, what our institutions have turned out to be is regime protection. They are not interested in their image. Some of them are not interested in the image and credibility of the nation. So many relevant institutions, almost everywhere in the world, are responsible for ensuring that people with criminal records or those with corruption are not allowed into public office. Because public office is a trust; it’s not a place you must be just because you are a politician.”
“The National Assembly and relevant security agencies, which are supposed to take the criminal records of nominees, have all been wholly negligent. And this is the danger of political corruption.
“So, we must wake up and sanitise the remaining image before it collapses. The world is watching right now, and they see us go from one scandal to another. This is not good for our country,” he said.
Every Public Officer Must Come Clean – NBA
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, has said that any public officer accused of certificate forgery owes Nigerians a duty to come clean.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP, Mazi Osigwe said any public servant accused of forgery should prove the allegation wrong.
Also, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, described forgery as a serious offence that should not be treated with kid gloves.
Mazi Osigwe, responding to a question following the allegation against the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Uche Nnaji, stated:
“Public servants are holding the office they occupy in trust for the people, and once there are criminal allegations, they should be investigated.
“A public office holder, even without an investigation, owes it a duty to Nigerians to confirm the authenticity of his or her certificate.
“But where the minister or whoever is alleged does not come out openly to either rebut or prove that the certificate he is carrying is authentic, the matter should be referred for investigation because the public has the right to know whether the certificate being used by such a person is indeed forged or authentic,” he said.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Abdul Balogun, called for the former minister’s prosecution.
According to him, forgery is a punishable offence and the offender should not be let off the hook.
“If anyone has committed any offence, there should be consequences. The president should not just slap the former minister on the wrist and ask him to go; he has to pay the penalty. We can’t continue like this as a nation; it is not suitable for our credibility, and I feel the necessary security agency should intervene and apply the sanctions necessary.”
Another legal practitioner, James Asapha, said the country does not have a tough stance on forgery by public office holders.
“For generations to come, we must not allow a situation where those leading us have no integrity and do not lead by example.
“No doubt, hard work pays, but how do you tell children they need to work hard when leaders exhibit characteristics that should not be found among honourable men?
“Certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence everywhere. It is one of the most corrupt practices that attracts heavy punishment.
“The truth is, Nigeria has not done enough to deal with those caught with certificate forgery. The law is there, but implementing it is the problem, and this is because of politics.”
Constitutional lawyer, Adegbule Majeed, accused politicians of being in the habit of forging certificates.
“We must deal with certificate forgery with the seriousness and level of criminality it deserves. Criminal offences should not be dismissed and treated with levity.”
Adegboruwa: Tinubu Must Not Let Him Off the Hook
Human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) called on President Bola Tinubu to take appropriate action, rather than simply accepting the Minister’s resignation and allowing him to evade the allegations of forgery.
Adegboruwa insisted that security agencies be called to investigate, as most of what exists currently are allegations and suspicions.
He said the agencies could verify the validity of the documents in question and, if confirmed to be false, the law should be enforced.
“I believe there are significant challenges regarding the qualifications of public officers in both the current and previous administrations.
“We have witnessed numerous cases of alleged forgery, including academic documents, NYSC discharge certificates, and falsified age records. These actions involve altering information to mislead both the government and the public,” he said.
Probe All Tinubu’s Ministers’ Certificates, Say ADC, Atiku
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the alleged involvement of a minister in the APC government in certificate forgery is merely indicative and confirms the party as a nest of certificate forgers.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the President’s action as weak and disappointing. It said a government that claims to uphold integrity cannot afford to treat criminal conduct as a personal matter.
The party added that by simply accepting his resignation, President Tinubu has shown that his administration is willing to let corrupt officials off the hook, and is not prepared to set a precedent that dishonesty has consequences.
“We are equally appalled that the minister was allowed to quietly resign after publicly admitting that the relevant institutions did not issue the certificates he presented. 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.”
“As a party, we 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 per the law. Anything less will amount to a cover-up,” the ADC spokesman said.
Certificates of Tinubu’s Appointees Must Be Probed – Atiku
Earlier, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also called 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.
Atiku criticised the voluntary resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over the alleged forgery.
He described the resignation as allowing the minister to quietly exit through the back door, alleging that it shows the Tinubu administration is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.
My Leaving Not Admission of Guilt – Nnaji
Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has said that his departure from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government is not an admission of guilt.
Nnaji resigned on Tuesday following the controversy surrounding his certificate, which he said was obtained from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State, and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
While he maintains that he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1985, reports indicate that the institution could not verify his academic records.
In a statement on Tuesday night, Nnaji admitted that the decision to resign from his position “did not come lightly.”
“My decision to step aside is therefore a personal choice – not an admission of guilt, but rather a principled decision to respect the sanctity of due process and to preserve the integrity of the judicial proceedings currently before the court. In the end, justice will prevail, and history will vindicate the just,” he said.
The former minister also claimed that his opponents had politically motivated the certificate scandal.
“Over the past week, an orchestrated and sustained campaign of falsehood, politically motivated and malicious attacks have been waged against my person, integrity, and office across print, electronic, and social media platforms,” he said.
“These unfounded allegations and media distortions have not only caused personal distress but have also begun to distract from the vital work of the Ministry and the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.”
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve in his cabinet and assured the President of his continued loyalty.
“I remain deeply grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the confidence he reposed in me and the privilege to serve in his cabinet. I continue to hold dear his vision for a renewed, innovative, and technologically driven Nigeria, and I pledge my unflinching support to his administration and its transformative goals.”
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has accepted Nnaji’s resignation following the allegations against him.
In a statement by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu thanked the former minister for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.
Nnaji was appointed Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology by Tinubu in August 2023.
