Certificate row : HURIWA warns against politicising Nnaji’s academic record

 

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern that the controversy surrounding the academic credentials of former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, may have political undertones, while calling for transparency and neutrality by institutions handling the issue.

Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Abuja, the civil rights organisation said clarifications recently provided by Dr. Robert Ngwu, Special Adviser to the former minister, underscore the importance of fairness and restraint, especially amid what it described as premature claims in some quarters that a Federal Government investigative panel had already established allegations of certificate forgery against Nnaji.

According to HURIWA, Ngwu clarified that the investigative panel mentioned in certain media reports was not created to examine whether the former minister falsified a certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

The aide explained that the panel was instead constituted after Nnaji submitted a petition to the Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria), alleging misconduct by some officials of the university.

HURIWA said this clarification is important because it contradicts reports suggesting that the panel had already determined that certificate forgery occurred, noting that the official report of the panel has not yet been made public by the ministry.

The association further observed that the disagreement over Nnaji’s academic records is currently before the Federal High Court of Nigeria, where the former minister has filed a suit seeking an order compelling the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to release his academic transcript, which he reportedly requested as far back as May 2025.

According to HURIWA, proceedings during the February 26 hearing before Justice H. J. Yilwa did not move forward because of procedural issues, including the absence of proof of service in the court file and the need to regularise some respondents’ filings. The group said the adjournment requested by counsel representing the university’s leadership was not opposed by Nnaji’s legal team from the chambers of Wole Olanipekun and Sebastine Hon, an indication that the case remains before the court.

Beyond the court case, HURIWA noted that the petition submitted by the former minister to the Federal Ministry of Education raised serious concerns, including allegations of intimidation, unauthorised access to confidential student records and possible manipulation of academic documents by certain officials of the university.

The petition also reportedly questioned the disclosure of personal academic information without proper authorisation, actions that could conflict with provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act and other public service rules.

The rights group also referred to claims that a document reportedly relied upon to justify certain administrative actions within the university had been questioned by the Public Complaints Commission, which allegedly stated that the letter attributed to its office was fraudulent and that no complaint had been lodged against the former minister.

While noting that the allegations and counter-claims would ultimately be resolved by the courts and other relevant authorities, HURIWA said the broader political circumstances surrounding the controversy deserve attention.

According to the organisation, Nnaji is regarded as one of the leading grassroots figures of the All Progressives Congress in Enugu State and was among the early architects of the party’s structure in the state. The group added that the former minister continues to command a strong political following and remains influential within the party.

HURIWA said the timing and intensity of the allegations have prompted speculation among political observers that the dispute could be connected to evolving political alignments in Enugu State, especially as attention gradually shifts toward the 2027 governorship race.

The organisation further pointed out that the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka previously served as Chief of Staff to a former governor of Enugu State and is widely believed to be aligned with the same political camp as the current governor, Peter Mbah.

Although the Vice-Chancellor has reportedly rejected claims suggesting any wrongdoing, HURIWA said the situation has nonetheless created concerns about the perception of possible conflicts of interest.

“In matters involving sensitive academic records and political figures, the credibility of the investigative process must be protected at all costs. Where questions arise about possible conflicts of interest, the appropriate institutional response is transparency and recusal,” the group stated.

HURIWA therefore urged the leadership of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to ensure that investigations arising from Nnaji’s petition are handled in a fair and credible manner.

It specifically called for any university official who may be directly or indirectly linked to the dispute to step aside from administrative or investigative roles connected to the matter in order to prevent perceptions of bias.

The organisation also appealed to the Senate of the university to undertake an independent internal review of the allegations raised by the former minister, particularly claims that his academic records may have been accessed or altered without proper authorisation.

In addition, HURIWA urged the Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria) to ensure that the investigative panel listens to all relevant stakeholders, including individuals who may have knowledge of how the academic records in question were historically handled.

The group stressed that the integrity of Nigeria’s universities must be shielded from any perception of political interference, noting that academic institutions should remain neutral spaces devoted to scholarship, accurate record-keeping and due process.

“HURIWA believes that both the integrity of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the reputation of individuals involved in the controversy can only be protected through a transparent process guided strictly by facts, evidence and the rule of law,” the group said.

It therefore advised the public and the media to refrain from drawing premature conclusions while awaiting the official report of the investigative panel and the eventual ruling of the Federal High Court of Nigeria on the matter.