From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has fixed November 10 to hear a suit by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, seeking a restraining order against the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), its Vice Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya and the Senate of the institution from tampering with his academic records.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa fixed the date yesterday, after the suit was mentioned in her court.
Counsel to the applicant, Sebastine Hon, informed the court that all parties to the action had been served with all relevant processes.
Specifically, he said while the Minister and the National Universities Commission (NUC) (1st and 2nd respondents), were served on September 26, the UNN, its Vice Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, the Registrar and the Senate of the university (3rd to 7th respondents) were served on September 29.
Hon, however, lamented that even though the 3rd to 7th respondents were duly served, Ortuanya wrote an official letter to an online media on October 2, saying that his client was not a graduate of that university.
He added that following that letter, the media published a damaging publication against the applicant, titled, “Investigation: A serial certificate forger in President Tinubu’s cabinet.”
Hon added: “Even though the court refused our interim prayer for them to stay further action on the matter, the rules of court provide that upon grant of leave, there must have been a stay of further action on the part of all parties.
He, however, disclosed his intention to file appropriate processes in view of the development, as he was only informing the court about the development.
Responding, counsel to the respondents, E.M Asogwa, said his clients were still within time to file their response to the suit.
On the issue of the publication raised by Hon, Asoqwa said: “Ordinarily, I wouldn’t give credibility to what the senior counsel to the applicant is alleging, however, as a minister in the temple of justice, we will advise our client appropriately. Since the matter is sub judice, we will maintain the status quo.”
Justice Yilwa said as a court of record, the issue raised by Hon should be formally documented.
She, thereafter, adjourned the matter to November 10 for hearing, while directing that service should be effected to parties not in court.
In a motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025, Nnaji, is further pressing for an order of the court, compelling the respondents to release his academic transcript at the UNN.
The motion that was brought pursuant to order 34 rules 1-8 of the Federal High Court (Rules), sections 6 (6) (b) and 251 (1) (r) of the 1999 constitution, the applicant is equally seeking an order of mandamus compelling the Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC), to ensure, utilising their supervisory disciplinary powers, that the UNN, Ortuanya, the Registrar and the Senate of the school, release his academic records to him.
Before now, Justice Yilwa had, after listening to counsel to the Minister, granted an order granting him leave to issue the prerogative writ of prohibition on the respondents from tampering with or continuing to tamper with his academic records at the UNN.
According to the certified true copy of the enrolled order dated September 26, Justice Yilwa further granted leave to the applicant to issue the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the respondents to release to the applicant his academic transcript at the university.
Allegations of certificate forgery have surrounded Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu named him among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees from 25 states forwarded to the Senate as Tinubu began to form his cabinet, two months after taking office on May 29, 2023.
His critics insist that he did not complete his university education and that both the Bchelor’s Degree and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to Tinubu, as well as the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the State Security Service and the Nigerian Senate, are counterfeit.
The allegations became weighty when the UNN, disowned the Bachelor of Science Degree certificate in his possession, saying the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate.
Specifically, the vice-chancellor of UNN, stated that although Nnaji was admitted to the institution in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.
“From every available records and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.”
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