By: Sunday Ameh
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a comprehensive investigation into the academic credentials of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of his cabinet, accusing the administration of institutionalizing forgery and deceit in public office.
In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku said the recent resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, exposed what he described as a deep moral crisis within the Tinubu administration.
According to the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Nnaji’s resignation—reportedly linked to a certificate forgery scandal—was being falsely presented as voluntary to mask a growing credibility issue at the heart of the government.
“The minister should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification. What we are witnessing is the normalization of forgery as state policy,” Atiku said.
He accused the administration of being “an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants,” insisting that the government’s handling of Nnaji’s case reflected a wider culture of dishonesty.
Atiku also faulted the Department of State Services (DSS) for clearing Nnaji during the ministerial screening despite alleged discrepancies in his records. He recalled that the same DSS had previously screened out former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over “security concerns” but allegedly failed in its due diligence in this case.
The former vice president further claimed that the controversy surrounding Nnaji’s credentials aligns with what he termed a “pattern of deceit” traceable to President Tinubu himself, referencing long-standing disputes over the President’s academic background and identity.
“Tinubu’s history of forgery and perjury has institutionalized falsehood in public service,” Atiku declared.
He therefore urged Nigerians to demand an independent and transparent probe into the credentials of all federal cabinet members—beginning with the President.
Atiku warned that Nigeria risks sinking deeper into moral decay, economic ruin, and international embarrassment if integrity in public office continues to erode unchecked.
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