The controversy surrounding the academic credentials of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, deepened on Monday as his media aide, Robert Ngwu, accused Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, of orchestrating a smear campaign against the minister.

But in a swift reaction, the governor denied the allegation, asking the minister to “carry your cross”.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, the minister’s aide denied allegations that his principal, Nnaji, forged his University and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates, describing the claims as politically motivated.

He alleged that the campaign was being driven by Mbah to discredit the minister for political reasons.

The minister’s aide further stated that Nnaji had formally requested his academic transcript from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to clear his name, but noted that the university failed to release it despite a court order.

“He asked the school to release his transcript. He applied for his transcript so that it becomes clear to everyone because it is the ultimate. So, that is why, even with the court order, they have not seen reasons to release his transcript,” he said.

He also alleged that Nnaji’s file was being held in the office of the Vice-Chancellor of UNN.

“We have information that the minister’s file was kept under lock and key in the vice-chancellor’s office. Why would the file of a serving minister of the Federal Republic be sitting in your office?” Ngwu asked.

Addressing a reported discrepancy in the name appearing on the documents — “Nnaji Uchenna” instead of “Uche Geoffrey Nnaji,” Ngwu pointed out that the variation was culturally explainable.

“There is no actual discrepancy. In the Igbo language, ‘Uchenna’ or ‘Uchechukwu’ essentially carries the same meaning — often interpreted as ‘the will’ or ‘mind of God.’ They are commonly used interchangeably. The surname remains consistent,” he argued.

Ngwu maintained that Nnaji graduated from UNN in 1985 and said the university confirmed this in writing in December 2023.

The latest developments followed a Premium Times investigative report published on Saturday, which alleged that Nnaji submitted forged academic and NYSC certificates to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial nomination process in 2023.

The report claimed that the UNN disowned the degree certificate submitted by Nnaji, stating that although he was admitted in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.

The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, confirmed this in a response to a Freedom of Information request dated October 2, in which he stated that Nnaji was not a graduate of the institution.

This contradicted a December 2023 response from UNN’s Registrar, Celine Nnebedum, who had previously confirmed Nnaji’s graduation but later recanted before the Public Complaints Commission in 23 May 2025 letter that the university searched its graduation records for the 1985 session but could not find Mr. Nnaji’s name on them.

The investigation also revealed that in a court affidavit, Nnaji admitted that the university never issued him a degree certificate and that he had “never collected one.”

In September, Nnaji filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission, UNN, Vice-Chancellor Ortuanya, and others, seeking to restrain the university from “tampering” with his academic records.

The case was heard on Monday, with Sebastian Hon (SAN) representing Nnaji, while E.M. Asogwa appeared for the university and its officials.

The Minister of Education and the NUC, the first and second respondents, were not represented at the hearing.

Nnaji’s legal team challenged the Premium Times article, calling it damaging given the ongoing litigation over the minister’s academic records.

Denying Nnaji’s allegations, however, the Director of Information at the Enugu State Ministry of Information and Communication, Chukwuemeka Nebo, stated that the government had no connection to the controversy.

“The Enugu State Government dissociates itself completely from these allegations. The honourable minister must carry his own cross and clear his name before Nigerians, instead of dragging the government into issues that are entirely personal to him,” Nebo said.

Nebo criticized the minister’s failure to personally confront the issue, saying, “A large number of Nigerian and international journalists reportedly gathered on the minister’s invitation to hear directly from him.

“But rather than appear before them to answer questions and establish his innocence, the minister absconded, leaving behind proxies who could not withstand the barrage of legitimate questions from journalists.”

The director questioned the minister’s decision to delegate the press briefing to proxies, asking: “Who can narrate Chief Nnaji’s UNN story better than him? Why invite the media, only to outsource the conference? Why send third parties, who lack the answers to critical questions, if he truly has nothing to hide?”

Nebo outlined a series of questions the public expects the minister to answer, particularly surrounding his academic and service records.

“Did he, for his screening, present a purported degree certificate to the Senate showing that he graduated from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in July 1985?

“Is it true that he deposed in a Federal High Court filing in Abuja that he was not issued any degree certificate by UNN and, if so, how did he come about the degree certificate he presented to the Senate?

“Is it also true that while he claims to have graduated in July 1985, he applied to the university to retake Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the September 1985 Supplementary Examination, having failed the course?

“Is it also true that the university, in a November 8, 1985 letter, informed Uche Nnaji that he again failed Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the Supplementary Examinations, but could register to retake the course in the June 1986 examinations, provided he paid an examination fee of N4.00 (Four naira)?

“Is it true that on January 3, 1986, he again applied to retake the Virology (Course code: MCB 431) examination in June 1986, stating in his letter that the receipt for the payment of the N4.00 (Four Naira) resit fee had been attached?”

The statement also raised questions about the credentials the minister submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission during the 2023 governorship election. (The PUNCH)