Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has defended the former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over the certificate forgery controversy that prompted his resignation from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Wednesday, the senator representing Abia North described Nnaji’s decision to step down as “honourable,” adding that the controversy should not be exaggerated.
According to Kalu, issues surrounding certificate disputes are not unique to Nigeria.
“He is not the first in the world. Even in the United States Congress, there are people whose university degrees have been questioned,” Kalu said.
The former Abia State governor explained that the Senate’s responsibility during ministerial screening is to assess candidates, not to verify academic certificates.
“Well, we are not supposed to be looking at certificates. Our duty is to screen the candidate, not the certificate. The Senate did a very good job in that regard,” he stated.
Kalu commended Nnaji for resigning voluntarily, saying, “If you have anything that conflicts with what you do, you quietly resign. It’s a humble thing to do. I don’t even think it’s an issue for discussion.”
When asked whether Nnaji’s exit would affect the South-East’s representation in Tinubu’s cabinet, Kalu expressed confidence that the president would appoint a suitable replacement.
“When one door closes, another window opens. I pity him because he’s a very good friend of mine, and unfortunately, it happened,” he added.
The senator also reacted to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism that the scandal had brought disrepute to the administration, insisting that the focus should be on the nation’s economic challenges rather than controversies over individual credentials.
“What we should be worried about is how to fix the economy and build Nigeria’s reputation globally,” he remarked.
Earlier reports revealed discrepancies in Nnaji’s academic and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates, which allegedly originated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Investigations showed the documents were questionable, leading to his eventual resignation.
Nnaji’s case has since drawn widespread public attention and political reactions, with opposition figures describing the incident as another dent on the integrity of the current administration.
Senator Kalu, who governed Abia State between 1999 and 2007, was himself once convicted in 2019 for alleged diversion of public funds but later had the judgment nullified by the Supreme Court on technical grounds.
