A former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has filed an appeal against the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja directing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to arrest him over an ongoing certificate forgery investigation.Nnaji, who is currently the governorship candidate of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, filed the appeal before the Court of Appeal in Abuja on June 18.
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The appeal came days after he denied reports that there was any court order directing his arrest or that he was being sought by the ICPC.
The arrest order was made by the Federal High Court in Abuja following an ex parte application filed by the ICPC in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1160/2026.
Apart from directing his arrest, the court also granted the ICPC leave to declare Nnaji wanted in national newspapers, on social media platforms and through any other medium.
The anti-graft agency had told the court that its application followed Nnaji’s alleged failure to honour invitations extended to him for investigative activities in connection with the certificate forgery scandal.
The ICPC’s investigation followed reports alleging that Nnaji forged the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, discharge certificate which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023.
Nnaji had, however, denied evading law enforcement agencies.
In a statement issued on June 13 by his spokesperson, Robert Ngwu, the former minister said he was not in hiding and had never avoided any law enforcement agency.
“We wish to state unequivocally that Chief Nnaji is not in hiding and has never evaded any law enforcement agency,” the statement said.
“We further wish to make it abundantly clear that neither Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji nor his legal team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has received any invitation, summons, warrant, or correspondence whatsoever from the ICPC.”
He also stated that no court process had been served at his Abuja or Enugu residences.
However, documents and communications reportedly obtained from the ICPC indicated that the commission had sent invitations to the former minister through WhatsApp, email and text messages after it allegedly could not reach him physically.
The ICPC reportedly presented screenshots of WhatsApp chats and email communications before the court as evidence that the invitation letter was sent to Nnaji.
In his notice of appeal, Nnaji challenged the entire orders made by the Federal High Court.
The appeal was filed through Adoga Moses, a litigation clerk in the law firm of his lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.
Nnaji raised four grounds of appeal, including that the Federal High Court allegedly erred in law by issuing the orders without jurisdiction.
He also argued that the lower court failed to comply with Section 84 of the Evidence Act, 2011, by allegedly relying on computer-generated evidence without fulfilling the legal requirements for admissibility.
Section 84 of the Evidence Act regulates the admissibility of electronic evidence and requires, among other things, proper certification of computer-generated documents.
The former minister contended that the ICPC’s evidence, including WhatsApp messages, email and text messages allegedly sent to him, did not meet the statutory requirements.
He further argued that there was nothing before the lower court to establish that the phone numbers and email addresses to which the alleged messages were sent belonged to him.
According to him, there was also no evidence showing that he replied to any of the messages or texts allegedly sent to the numbers and email address.
Nnaji also alleged that the lower court acted on misrepresentation of facts by the ICPC in granting the ex parte orders.
He argued that misrepresentation of facts is one of the grounds upon which an ex parte order can be set aside.
The former minister is asking the Court of Appeal to vacate the Federal High Court order and strike out the ICPC’s suit before the lower court.
In a separate motion on notice filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nnaji asked the court to stay execution of the arrest order against him.
He also sought an injunction restraining the Federal Government, the ICPC and their agents from enforcing the arrest order pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.
Nnaji argued that if the arrest order is executed, it would keep him “out of circulation” and prevent him from continuing his campaign activities ahead of the election.
He further contended that refusal to grant his application would negatively affect not only him personally but also the democratic process, which he said is built on freedom of participation and the choice of the electorate.
The certificate controversy began after Nnaji submitted academic and NYSC documents during his ministerial screening in 2023.
He claimed to have obtained a degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he said he graduated in 1985.
Following scrutiny over his academic records, Nnaji filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to restrain UNN and its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, from releasing his academic records.
The suit also listed the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission, UNN’s registrar, its former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofo Ujam, and the Senate of the university as defendants.
The parties later moved towards an out-of-court settlement.
Before any injunction was granted, however, UNN officials reportedly responded to a Freedom of Information request, stating that although Nnaji was admitted to the university in 1981, he did not graduate and was not issued any degree certificate.
The NYSC was also reported to have disowned the discharge certificate said to be in his possession.
Nnaji resigned as minister shortly after the reports on the alleged forged certificates were published.
In March, an investigative panel set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, was also reported to have found that Nnaji forged his degree and NYSC certificates.
The former minister later moved from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and emerged in May as the governorship candidate of the Nyesom Wike-backed PDP faction in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 election.
He has continued to deny wrongdoing.
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