George Nnaji has said his resignation as Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology was not an admission of guilt, despite claims of certificate forgery against him.
Streetnet reports that he stepped down on Tuesday, three days after investigations revealed he had submitted forged degree and NYSC certificates.
The politician had presented the disputed certificates as part of his credentials for his ministerial appointment in 2023.
In a statement on Tuesday night, Nnaji said the decision “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,” he said.
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The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the NYSC authorities had disowned the certificates in response to official inquiries.
Nnaji claimed the investigation, which many media outlets reported, was “politically motivated.”
“Over the past week, an orchestrated 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.
“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 said.
Nnaji is involved in a lawsuit against UNN, its Vice-Chancellor Simon Ortuanya, the Ministry of Education, and others, aimed at blocking the release of his academic records to the media.
Meanwhile, the allegations of certificate forgery have followed Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu included him in the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees. Critics claimed he did not complete his university education and that both his bachelor’s degree and NYSC certificate were forged.
Investigations confirmed that both certificates in his possession were not authentic. Nnaji has admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate.