Certificate Forgery Scandal: UNN Confirms Minister Uche Nnaji ‘Did Not Graduate’ as Mbah Denies Political Witch-Hunt

• Fresh documents from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have cast doubt on the academic claims of Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, igniting a political storm that now pits him against Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.

Nigeria’s political landscape has been shaken by revelations over the academic credentials of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, after official documents from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), indicated he did not graduate from the institution as he has long claimed.

The controversy, first reported by PREMIUM TIMES, has spiralled into a political clash between the minister and Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, amid accusations of sabotage ahead of the 2027 elections.

UNN Records Dispute Nnaji’s Graduation Claim
According to the investigation, Nnaji gained admission into UNN in 1981 to study microbiology/biochemistry but failed to complete his programme. Despite this, he has consistently claimed that he graduated with a second-class lower degree in July 1985 and even participated in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Documents obtained revealed that Nnaji failed a crucial terminal course, MCB 431AB (Virology), and never successfully re-sat the exam. In a 1985 correspondence, the university registrar informed him that he had failed the supplementary exam and could only re-sit in June 1986 upon payment of a ₦4 fee.

Though Nnaji acknowledged the fee payment and sought another chance in September 1986, he failed to return.

A fresh confirmation letter dated 2 October 2025, signed by UNN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, stated unequivocally that Mr Nnaji “did not return to complete the outstanding course and therefore did not graduate.”

Minister Denies, Blames Political Rivalry
The revelations have placed the minister in the eye of a storm. Nnaji, a former APC governorship candidate in Enugu, has denied wrongdoing, describing the scandal as a “politically motivated witch-hunt” by Governor Mbah.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Dr Robert Ngwu, in Abuja on October 6, the minister said: “The governor had given a new name to all his problems – Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji.”

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Ngwu further alleged that UNN deliberately withheld Nnaji’s transcript despite a court order, and dismissed discrepancies in his names as a cultural norm in Igbo usage.

Enugu Government Distances Itself
The Enugu State Government rejected any involvement in the controversy. Chukwuemeka Nebo, Director of Information in the Ministry of Information and Communication, said: “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 also questioned Nnaji’s handling of the matter: “Who can narrate Chief Nnaji’s UNN story better than him? Why invite the media only to outsource the conference to proxies who could not answer critical questions?”

Unanswered Questions
Nebo raised key questions still lingering over Nnaji’s record:

• Did he present a degree certificate during his Senate screening in 2023?
• Why did he admit in court filings that he was never issued a certificate, while still claiming to have graduated?
• Why was he still applying to retake a failed course in 1985–86 if he had already graduated in 1985?

Political Storm Ahead of 2027
What began as an academic scandal has quickly evolved into a political tussle. With Nnaji still considered a future challenger and Governor Mbah consolidating power for a likely second term, the fallout could shape Enugu’s political battles ahead of 2027.