Following the resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over alleged certificate forgery, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a fresh review of the academic credentials of President Bola Tinubu and members of his cabinet, questioning their qualifications to hold public office.
According to Atiku, the certificates of the President and his cabinet members must be reviewed, as Nnaji’s resignation raises serious concerns about the authenticity of qualifications within the government.
Although the former minister, in explaining his decision to step down, claimed it was not an admission of guilt but a move to allow due process, the former Vice President argued that he should not have been afforded 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,” Atiku said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He stressed that public confidence in government depends largely on transparency and accountability, especially regarding the qualifications of those entrusted with national leadership.
Atiku maintained that without verifying the authenticity of the academic credentials of the President and his ministers, Nigerians cannot be assured that their leaders meet the necessary standards to govern effectively.
Referencing past controversies surrounding Tinubu’s academic records, including the well-publicised Chicago State University case, Atiku claimed that issues of identity and document integrity are not isolated, but reflect a deeper credibility problem within the current administration.
The former vice president also questioned the role of the Department of State Services (DSS), which he accused of negligence for failing to properly vet Nnaji.
Drawing a contrast with the agency’s earlier stance on former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who was reportedly screened out over security concerns, he said the DSS must be held accountable for what he called a “failure of due diligence.”
He said, “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. 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.
“What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same Department of State Services (DSS) which screened out Mallam Nasir el-Rufai for alleged “security concerns” is the very agency that cleared this same character, Uche Nnaji. The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace. 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?
“This episode is not isolated. It is a reflection of a pattern, a rot that begins from the very top. The man who occupies the office of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, 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. It is, therefore, unsurprising that his ministers and aides have taken after his example by falsifying documents, inflating records, and desecrating the moral foundation of our nation.
“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 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.
