Uche Nnaji, the disgraced former science and tech minister who resigned after forged certificates were exposed, has jettisoned his university and National Youth Service Corps certificates and submitted only his WAEC result to the Independent National Electoral Commission to clear the way for his bid for governor in Enugu.
INEC listed Mr Nnaji among the 16 governorship candidates cleared to contest in the 2027 Enugu gubernatorial race. Mr Nnaji, 63, was number 13 on the list, and his academic qualification on the INEC portal is his Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination result.
The Enugu politician was forced to resign in 2025 after Peoples Gazette’s exclusive report exposed that he had forged his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and university certificates.
In June 2024, the Gazette reported that the minister’s NYSC certificate was fake and that the State Security Service deliberately concealed the finding during his ministerial screening in 2023.
Mr Nnaji was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission over allegations of certificate forgery in July and has been under investigation.
Amid the probe, The Gazette also reported that the disgraced former minister continued to receive monthly salaries and allowances nine months after leaving office.
Last September, the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, granted the former minister permission to travel abroad. In a short ruling, the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, ordered the release of his passport. She thereafter fixed October 26 for continuation of the trial.
ICPC arraigned the former minister on July 13 on a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, false information and corruption. Mr Nnaji pleaded not guilty to the charge after he was arraigned before the court.
According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/391/2026, the ICPC alleged that between August 2023 and October 2025, Mr Nnaji took possession of N29.58 million paid into his Fidelity Bank account as salaries and allowances while serving as minister.
The ICPC also alleged that he reasonably ought to have known the funds were proceeds of unlawful acts, namely corruption and fraud. The commission said the alleged offence contravened Section 18(2)(d) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count two, the ICPC alleged that Mr Nnaji used his office as minister to confer a corrupt advantage on himself, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that, with intent to mislead the federal government, he presented a fake NYSC certificate during his ministerial appointment process. It said the alleged offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The ICPC also alleged that, in August 2023, Mr Nnaji presented a false microbiology/biochemistry degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. According to the charge, the act also contravenes Section 17(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Specifically, the ICPC alleged that Mr Nnaji presented a forged NYSC certificate, numbered A231309, to the secretary to the government of the federation during the documentation process for his ministerial appointment.
The prosecution also accused him of making and using both the NYSC certificate and the UNN degree certificate as genuine, despite allegedly knowing they were forged, contrary to Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.
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