Atiku faults Tinubu over alleged forgery in cabinet, seeks probe of ministers’ credentials
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubaka has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of promoting forgery and deception in public service, following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, minister of innovation, science and technology.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Abubakar said Nnaji’s resignation had once again exposed a “deep moral crisis” within the Tinubu-led government.
He faulted the federal government for allowing the former minister to “quietly exit through the backdoor,” insisting that Nnaji ought to have been dismissed and prosecuted for alleged falsification.
“What should ordinarily be a matter of national shame is now being disguised as a ‘voluntary resignation’,” Abubakar said.
The former vice-president also criticised the Department of State Services (DSS) for clearing Nnaji during the ministerial screening process, describing it as a failure of due diligence.
“The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace. Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world,” he said.
He linked the alleged lapses in governance to President Tinubu’s own controversies regarding his academic records, saying the trend had “institutionalised falsehood in public service”.
“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance,” he added.
He called for an independent investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, starting with the president.
“Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources,” Atiku said, urging a “cleansing” of public institutions to restore integrity to governance.
Nnaji, who was appointed minister in August 2023, resigned on Tuesday amid reports linking him to certificate forgery allegations.
