•ADC seeks Nnaji’s suspension
The Nigerian Bar Association, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, have weighed in on the certificate forgery allegation against the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Uche Nnaji.
While NBA President, Adam Osigwe said any public officer accused of certificate forgery owes Nigerians a duty to come clean, Mr Peter Obi described forgery as a serious offence which should not be treated with kid gloves.
The ADC was more blunt in its reaction as it called for the immediate suspension of the minister pending an investigation of forgery allegations leveled against him.
The ADC, in a statement by its interim national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Nnaji, if found guilty, should be sacked and prosecuted for forgery and perjury.
The minister has been embattled following allegations that he is parading a forged degree from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
Mazi Osigwe, responding to question, following the allegation, said While he may not want to comment on the issue because he is not completely familiar with the fact of the allegation, he however, said any public servant accused of forgery should prove the allegation against him.
According to him, public servants are holding the office they occupy in trust for the people and once there are issues of criminal allegation, it should be investigated.
“If there is any allegation that anybody has forged a certificate, let it be investigated and proven first. The Constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence but if a minister is alleged to have forged his certificate, there is need for an investigation.
“Also, for a public office holder, even, without an investigation, such a public office holder owes it a duty to Nigerians to confirm to Nigerians the authenticity of his or her certificate, so, I don’t know the facts of the allegations and it remains an allegation until it is proven to be confirmed.
“But where the minister or whoever is alleged does not come out openly to either rebuff or prove that the certificate he is carrying is authentic, the matter should be referred for investigation because the public has the right to know whether the certificate being used by such a person is indeed forged or authentic but I’m not commenting with respect to the minister because I don’t know what the facts are.
“So, there is presumption of innocence but the office holder owes it a duty because he is holding an office in trust for the public to come forward to show that the certificate that he/she holds is not forged and that such allegations are false”.
The Labour Party presidential candidate in a post on his X handle said the country is not firm enough on public office holders who are found to have forged their certificates.
He said whenever he talks about Nigeria being a crime scene, those who are part of the criminality and their hirelings will quickly start their noise-making, attacking and blackmailing him.
He wondered how to explain the fact that those whose integrity, character and behaviour are supposed to be exemplary and emulated in society have become the very source of the nation’s decay.
“How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest and upright when those they are supposed to emulate are the least to be emulated because they are criminals and dishonest? Certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence in all countries of the world. It is one of the most corrupt practices heavily punished.
“In one of my knowledge-seeking visits to Indonesia early this year, after interacting with several ministers responsible for Health, Villages, SMEs, Planning, and Education, as well as the Vice President and President Joko Widodo on development, I met with the Chairman of the General Elections Commission of Indonesia. I asked him about the educational qualifications required to participate in elections from local government to the state legislature, governorship, and up to the presidential level. He openly stated these qualifications to me. “My team and I then asked a simple question: What happens if someone contests for public office with a forged certificate or did not attend the school he claimed he attended? He looked at me, surprised and shocked, and said, “That attracts immediate disqualification and prosecution. It is a criminal offence. He added, “If someone can forge a certificate, how can that person be trusted to lead others?”
“But in my country Nigeria, though the laws are same as in other countries, that forgery is punished by immediate disqualification, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) makes no effort to scrutinize certificates before the elections, over looks complaints of forgery and when you challenged after the elections, court will dismiss the serious criminal issues as “pre-election matters” without giving this criminal act appropriate punishment.
INEC, even after the elections, does not bother to revisit or investigate these serious offences before the next election.
“The other concerning issue from all these is how criminals and dishonest people scale through all the scrutiny layers -security, parliament and government apparatus set to handle such.
“Even more disturbing, amounting to double tragedy, is that most of these dishonest people swore to an affidavit before a law court attesting to the authenticity of the documents they presented.
“We are now preparing for the 2027 general elections. INEC has enough time to investigate past complaints about various forms of forgery and false claims.
“Our Electoral amendments must include that anyone intending to contest for any public office, whether an incumbent or a new candidate, must submit all academic certificates to the electoral body immediately after party primaries, at least six months before the election. These certificates, alongside details of schools attended, what was studied and years of study, should be made public for verification within 90 days. This process must also apply to appointed officials, Ministers and even aides, because when dishonesty starts from the top, it spreads to every level of governance, just like it’s happening now. “We must deal with certificate forgery holistically with the seriousness and level of criminality it deserves. Criminal offences should not be dismissed as a mere procedural matter. We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth.”
On its part, the ADC said the silence of the Federal Government over the allegations is proof of its alleged intolerance for corruption. The ADC noted that “credible public reports have revealed that both the UNN and the NYSC have officially disowned the certificates Mr. Nnaji submitted for his ministerial appointment. Even more disturbing are his own court filings admitting that UNN never issued him any degree certificate.
“At this point, the question that every Nigerian is asking is simple: if the Minister is not honourable enough to resign, why is the Tinubu administration still keeping him in office? By refusing to act, the Tinubu government and the APC are admitting their complicity in such fraudulent conduct at the highest levels of their government, and making a mockery of their claims to fighting corruption.
“On our part, the ADC believes that the very credibility of any governance begins with the integrity of the people elected or appointed to run it. Nigerians cannot be expected to trust a government that is populated by people who have lied under oath about their qualifications.
“In this particular instance, a ministry whose mandate is to drive innovation, research, and the advancement of knowledge is now tainted by the dubious credentials of the man that President Tinubu has found fit to serve.
“This is deeply unfortunate, but also reflective of the moral compass of this APC government and its scant regard for both integrity and knowledge acquisition. Our country is blessed with competent and qualified minds in all fields of human endeavour, both at home and across the world; brilliant minds who have earned their place through hard work, integrity, and excellence.
“Yet this APC government could only find suitable for appointment to such a strategic ministry, or any ministry at all, a man whose claim to higher education has now been brought to question.
“The ADC calls for the immediate suspension of Minister Nnaji pending a full independent investigation. If found guilty, he should not only be dismissed with ignominy, he should also face full prosecution for forgery and perjury. Certificate forgery is not a clerical error, it is a crime.
“If proven, it must attract the full weight of the law. The longer the Tinubu government delays action, the clearer it becomes that integrity and accountability have no place in its leadership consideration.
“Both the Senate and the DSS that undertake the responsibility of vetting nominees into high positions in government must also accept vicarious liability and seize this as an invitation to review their vetting process. A Senate that has obliged itself unreservedly to the will of the President is liable to fail in its duty to the people.”
Credit: The Sun