By Favour Ulebor
Abuja—Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, has resigned, following allegations of certificate forgery levelled against him.
President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the resignation in a statement yesterday, saying the President has accepted the minister’s decision to step down.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu “accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, following some allegations against him.
“President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023. He resigned today (yesterday) in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria.”
Onanuga further quoted the former minister as saying he had “been a target of blackmail by political opponents.
President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.
Recall that an online publication had reported last week that the minister did not possess the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, degree he paraded.
The minister, who accused Enugu State government of being behind the allegation, also accused the vice chancellor of the univesity of being used to lay the allegation against him, and requested the university authorities to release to him his transcripts.
He also filed a case against the university at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, asking the court to compel the university to release the transcripts.
The judge, Justice Yilwa, adjourned the case to November 10.
The development had drawn reactions from the presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, in 2023 election, Peter Obi, and African Democratic Congress, ADC.
While Obi charged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure candidates were properly screened to qualify to contest election, ADC flayed President Bola Tinubu for still keeping the minister in his government, despite the damning allegations against him.
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