A lawyer and activist, Frank Tietie, has called for a severe punishment for former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, who is being accused of certificate forgery.
DAILY POST reported that Nnaji resigned on Tuesday following allegations of certificate forgery against him.
Nnaji, who was alleged not to have completed his university education, was accused of forging both the Bachelor’s Degree and National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, certificates he presented to President Bola Tinubu, as well as to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Senate.
The Enugu-born politician, who is insisting he’s innocent, had, in a statement, said the decision to step down followed deep reflection and consultations with family, associates and well-meaning Nigerians.
The former minister added that he formally tendered his resignation to the President after what he described as a “sustained campaign of falsehood, politically motivated and malicious attacks” against his person, integrity and office.
However, Tietie said that Nnaji’s decision to resign must be as a result of guilt, insisting that his punishment should be heavier than that of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sanusi Buhari, who was handed a two year prison term for forging a Toronto University certificate.
“It should go beyond resignation. It should go beyond persecution. The integrity of Nigerian educational system was on trial in the last few days.
“It was on international, it was on a universal trial. The alumni of the University of Nigeria must have been so embarrassed that it could be so. You know that its certificates could be so procured that people who didn’t graduate can now claim graduation.
“In fact, it throws a lot of systemic failures on the part of those who do verifications actually committed grievous offenses, not only Nigerian educational system, not only against the administration of President Tinubu, not only against the criminal laws of this country, but, you know, in his brazeness, to also abuse the court process.
“He’s gone beyond the, you know, the famous Toronto scandal that involved Sanusi Buhari who was in fact, not only prosecuted, he was sentenced to two years imprisonment and with an option of fine.
“And it was so painful that that same Sanusi Buhari was appointed as a member of the Governing Council University of Nigeria. Just imagine that fantastic brand, University of Nigeria. It’s at the Minister of Innovation, you know, transform his ministry to the innovation of fake certificates.
“And then he goes on to defend it. There is something important here. The Supreme Court has made a very important principle on ground that if you, you know, operate with an illegal certificate, or with, either as an elected or an appointed person, whatsoever you acquired in course of the use of that certificate, you must refunded.
“So, I expect that, beyond prosecution, I expect that Nnaji should prepare to return whatever he has got as a result of the use of that certificate.
“That is now presumptuously, you know, fake in the wake of his resignation.”
Alleged forgery: Resigned minister Nnaji must refund salaries – Tietie