FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of institutionalizing forgery and deceit in public service, following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, over controversies surrounding his academic credentials.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday sent to News Point Nigeria, Atiku described Nnaji’s resignation as “a national embarrassment” and a symptom of what he called the “moral collapse” within the Tinubu-led government.
The former Vice President, who served from 1999 to 2007, alleged that forgery and falsification of documents had become entrenched in the administration’s leadership culture, claiming that the situation reflects “the character of those at the helm of affairs.”
Atiku faulted what he described as the government’s attempt to “whitewash” Nnaji’s resignation, insisting that the former minister ought to have been dismissed and prosecuted rather than permitted to leave quietly.
“What should ordinarily be a matter of national shame is now being disguised as a voluntary resignation, an attempt to whitewash yet another scandal that typifies the forgery-ridden character of this government,” Atiku said.
“Uche Nnaji should not have been allowed the courtesy of resignation. He should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification.
“By permitting him to quietly exit through the backdoor, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.”
Nnaji resigned from his ministerial post on Tuesday amid controversy over his university degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, which reports claim could not be verified by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
President Tinubu has since accepted his resignation, thanking him for his service and wishing him well in his future endeavours.
Atiku also took aim at the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the agency of failing in its due diligence during the ministerial screening process.
He expressed disbelief that the same DSS that reportedly raised security concerns over the clearance of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, could approve Nnaji’s nomination despite the alleged discrepancies in his records.
“What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same Department of State Services (DSS) which screened out Mallam Nasir el-Rufai for alleged security concerns is the very agency that cleared Uche Nnaji,” Atiku stated.
“Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world and raises the question: how many more of such individuals are occupying sensitive positions in this government?”
The former Vice President went further to allege that the crisis of integrity within the government “stems from the top,” claiming that President Tinubu himself has yet to satisfactorily address questions surrounding his identity, age, and academic background.
“The man who occupies the office of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, and academic records. From the Chicago State University saga to multiple contradictory claims under oath, the world has seen ample evidence that Nigeria today is led by a man who himself has been unable to credibly defend the authenticity of his own certificates,” he alleged.
“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance. Tinubu’s personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has effectively institutionalized falsehood in public service.”
Atiku urged the federal government to immediately commence an independent and transparent audit of the academic and professional credentials of all serving ministers and top government officials, beginning with the President himself.
“I call for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, beginning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources,” Atiku declared.
He warned that unless the issue of integrity is urgently addressed, Nigeria risks deeper moral and institutional decay.
“Until this cleansing is done, Nigeria will continue to sink deeper into moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment. The time has come to rescue our country from the grip of deceit and restore integrity to public life,” he added.