Atiku Demands Probe of Tinubu and Cabinet Over Alleged Certificate Scandals After Minister’s Resignation

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has called for an independent investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) — including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.

Nnaji resigned on Tuesday amid controversy surrounding the authenticity of his academic qualifications. He, however, maintained that his resignation was not an admission of guilt.

Reacting to the development in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, Atiku said Nnaji’s resignation “has once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.”

The former vice president alleged that the current administration has normalized deceit in public service, tracing the trend to what he described as Tinubu’s questionable personal history.

“This episode is not isolated. It is a reflection of a pattern — a rot that begins from the very top. 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,” Atiku stated.

He referenced the Chicago State University saga and other conflicting claims regarding the President’s identity and credentials, alleging that Tinubu’s “history of forgery and perjury has institutionalized falsehood in governance.”

“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance,” he said.
“It is, therefore, unsurprising that his ministers and aides have taken after his example — falsifying documents, inflating records, and desecrating the moral foundation of our nation.”

Atiku condemned the Federal Government’s handling of Nnaji’s exit, saying the former minister should have been dismissed and prosecuted, not allowed to resign quietly.

“Let the truth be told: 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 back door, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.”

The PDP chieftain also criticized the Department of State Services (DSS), questioning how Nnaji’s alleged certificate scandal escaped detection during the security vetting process.

“What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same DSS which screened out Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for alleged security concerns is the very agency that cleared Uche Nnaji.
Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world,” he added.

Atiku reiterated his demand for a comprehensive and transparent probe into the credentials of all federal cabinet members, starting with President Tinubu himself.

“Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources,” he said, stressing that “forgery has become state policy under the current administration.”