• Super Admin
• 07 Mar, 2026

former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji An investigative panel set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has commended the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, and a former Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oguejiofor Ujam, for exposing the alleged certificate forgery involving former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji. The seven-member panel was constituted on November 23, 2025, following a petition by Nnaji to the education minister after a two-year investigation by Premium Times revealed that the former minister allegedly forged his university degree and National Youth Service Corps certificates. The panel submitted its report to the education minister in December 2025. In his petition dated October 14, 2025, Nnaji accused senior officials of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, of unethical disclosure, document tampering and political manipulation of his academic records. He specifically alleged that Ortuanya and Ujam "issued forged or unauthorised correspondence, improperly accessed his academic file, and facilitated media publications that misrepresented his academic history." The former minister also claimed that Ortuanya's response to a Freedom of Information request by PREMIUM TIMES, which confirmed that he did not graduate from the university, amounted to an unauthorised disclosure of his confidential academic records. The investigative panel, chaired by Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, Director of the University Education Department in the Ministry of Education, adopted a methodology that included documentary review, interviews, verification and technical audit. Other members included James Ocheido, deputy director in the department who served as secretary, alongside officials from the ministry and the National Universities Commission. According to the report, the panel visited the UNN campus in Nsukka and engaged several officials, including the vice-chancellor, former acting vice-chancellor, the registrar Celine Nnebedum, and staff of the records unit. It also reviewed academic files, internal correspondence, convocation archives, Senate-approved graduation lists and electronic access logs relating to Nnaji's academic records. The panel found that the vice-chancellor's response to PREMIUM TIMES followed due process and complied with the Freedom of Information Act. According to the report, Ortuanya sought legal advice from the university's legal unit before responding to the request. The panel stated, "There is no evidence of external directives, political influence, unauthorised inputs, or bypassing of procedural steps. "The approval process complied with internal procedures, FOI obligations, and legal advice. All steps were documented and traceable." It further noted that the letter sent to PREMIUM TIMES was transmitted through lawful channels and not leaked. The report stated, "The letter reached Premium Times through a formal, lawful FOI transmission and not through any unauthorised or clandestine channel. "Therefore, (the transmission) does not constitute a breach of confidentiality." The panel commended both Ortuanya and Ujam for correcting inconsistencies surrounding the former minister's academic records. The commendation followed conflicting letters issued by the university registrar regarding Nnaji's graduation status. In December 2023, the registrar informed a media organisation that Nnaji graduated from the university in July 1985. However, in a later correspondence to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025, the university stated that a search of graduation records did not show his name. Ujam was acting vice-chancellor when the university responded to the commission, while Ortuanya later confirmed the same position in response to the FOI request. "These two officers should be commended for their dogged ability to protect the truth of restoring the dignity of man, which is the motto of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka," the panel said. The panel also reviewed the Senate-approved graduation list for the 1985 academic session and the personal student file of the former minister. It found that Nnaji's name did not appear on the list of graduates. The panel further discovered correspondence between the former minister and the university registry regarding a failed course, MCB 431 (Virology), which was documented between November 1985 and May 1986. According to the report, Nnaji wrote to the university requesting permission to retake the course, stating that he missed an earlier examination due to ill health. "The panel was unable to find any record of him (Nnaji) having taken the failed course," the report stated. The panel therefore questioned how he obtained a certificate of graduation dated July 1985, which he later submitted to President Bola Tinubu during his ministerial appointment and to the National Assembly for confirmation. The findings of the investigative panel align with earlier reports that raised concerns about the authenticity of the former minister's academic credentials. Source: https://www.naijanews.com/2026/03/07/fg-panel-commends-unn-vc-over-exposure-of-ex-ministers-alleged-certificate-forgery/