Nnajigate Scandal, Integrity And President Tinubu

Editorial

Nnajigate Scandal, Integrity And President Tinubu

The ongoing episodic drama playing out on the matter of certificate forgery by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji,  leaves a sour taste in the mouth, especially when he has gone to court to restrain the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, from releasing his certificate even after the horse had bolted, and after the institution had released it to Premium Times.

Considering the stain and embarrassment that this scandal will have on the integrity and person of President Tinubu, it’s absolutely necessary for the president to sack Nnaji, especially to protect his person and integrity from the dusts that the Nnajigate is currently spreading, after all,  the president nominated him and facilitated his clearance at the National Assembly, and eventual appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The silence of the presidency on Nnajigate is ominously dangerous and raises a lot of concerns, especially given the alacrity of the president’s media aides to react and respond to the most infantile criticisms.

The Nnajigate scandal is a straight forward matter that even a kindergarten pupil can manage. While it’s debatable whether Nnaji attended the University of Nsukka, it’s a totally different matter whether he actually graduated from the institution albeit his name was in the University’s admission brochure of 1985. Let’s stretch the matter – it’s interesting that he was mobilized for the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, in April while the programme was actually in July, a difference of about 4 clear months ahead of the service year! The NYSC has also publicly denied the claims of Nnaji!

To further compound his argument and defence, Nnaji’s NYSC certificate was in alfa-numeric numbering, a clear difference with the certificates of his mates who served in the period under contention. At that point in time, the NYSC had not started to number her certificates in alfa-numeric tradition.

Also, going to court to restrain the UNN from releasing his certificates and records at the institution raises eyebrows about the reason(s) for the restraining suit on the university. Rather thank file a restraining suit on the UNN, Nnaji should have submitted the certificates in question to the relevant security agencies albeit they are part of the simmering brouhaha because they either did not investigate the documents or abdicated to perform their extant duty of verifying the said certificates! While the case is in court, Nnaji should step aside, pending the determination of the matter as is the practice in saner climes and developed societies.

Also, the NYSC had also denied issuing the certificate of service that Nnaji claims to have been issued to him by her. I  fact there are clear discrepancies in the signature appended on his certificate, especially as the officer that allegedly signed the certificate was not yet appointed as the DG of NYSC.

With these glaring differences, especially with the position of the UNN and NYSC on this matter, it will be a honourable decision for Nnaji to immediately resign his appointment as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And if he fails to do so, President Tinubu should immediately relieve him of his job by invoking his authority to hire and fire – the president should sack him.

If President Tinubu refuses sack Nnaji and ride the storm of Nnajigate, thinking it will thin out with time, with the 2027 elections closely by, it will be an albatross on his neck, a big embarrassment to his person, integrity, character and the spirit of his presidency.