The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), has called for a thorough investigation into allegations of certificate forgery against the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, insisting that his resignation should not end the matter.
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Describing the allegations as “grave,” Osigwe urged law enforcement agencies to act without delay. “Before you talk about prosecuting Mr. Geoffrey Nnaji over the allegation of forging the certificate, there should first be an investigation carried out by the requisite law enforcement agency — in this case, maybe the police. And if that investigation confirms the allegation against him, then he should be prosecuted. But the matter should not just be swept under the carpet like that,” he said.
Osigwe stressed the importance of a transparent process, emphasizing that Nnaji allegedly presented forged certificates to convince the President of his qualifications for ministerial appointment. “This should be investigated to find out if indeed he presented forged certificates to the President, and to the National Assembly to procure his clearance as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
He further noted that resignation does not absolve anyone of potential criminal liability. “If the allegations are established — and indeed the allegation is very weighty, very strong, and should not just be trifled with — then he should be prosecuted. This will also serve as an example to persons who may want to hold public office and who think they can pull the wool over the face of Nigerians by obtaining such positions with forged credentials. The investigation should be transparent, and the findings of the investigation should be made public,” Osigwe added.
Rejecting suggestions that the federal government should be commended for accepting Nnaji’s resignation, he said, “The allegations were weighty, and it’s even unfortunate that the minister took so long to resign or to offer a credible explanation. When a minister resigns, you don’t need to praise the government for accepting it. What is important is that his resignation gives more room for proper attention to be placed on the allegation so that he will be thoroughly investigated.”
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