President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji. the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following revelations that his claimed degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was not genuine. 

In a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Nnaji tendered his resignation in a letter where he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and claimed to have been subjected to “blackmail by political opponents.”

The controversy erupted after Premium Times published an investigation alleging that both Nnaji’s degree and NYSC certificates were forged. Most damningly, UNN formally disowned the degree he had been presenting. The university confirmed that, although Nnaji was admitted in 1981, there is no record that he graduated or was ever issued a degree certificate.

In court documents filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Nnaji admitted that UNN never issued him a certificate and that he never collected one. His admission came as part of a suit he filed against UNN, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and other related parties for alleged interference with his academic record.

The resignation marks the culmination of weeks of mounting public and media scrutiny. The University of Nigeria’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon U. Ortuanya, reaffirmed in response to a Freedom of Information request that there is no record of Nnaji’s graduation.

President Tinubu’s response was brief: he accepted the resignation, thanked Nnaji for his service, and wished him success in future undertakings. Meanwhile, critics argue that this episode further underscores concerns about integrity, vetting processes, and the credibility of public officials. 

This is a developing story and we will provide updates as more details emerge.