Shehu Sani reminds politicians, you don’t need to forge a degree certificate, your opponents will fish you out
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
As prescribed by Nigerian law, a secondary school certificate qualifies for public office, so no one needs to go as a far as forging a degree certificate to beef up their credentials, former Senator Shehu Sani has reminded politicians.
By the same law, one only needs evidence of secondary school attendance, without even a secondary school leaving certificate issued by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to occupy a public office.
Sani, in a post on X, advised politicians to use their secondary school certificate while seeking political appointment, cautioning them against making false claims about their academic qualifications.
“All you need to contest elections or for political appointment is a secondary school certificate.
“There is no way in the realm of politics one can claim any unearned qualifications without his or her political opponents digging into the matter. Some troubles are unnecessarily self inflicted.”
Backdrop
Sani spoke up on the heels of the latest revelation that a member of the Bola Tinubu cabinet – Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Uche Nnaji – claims to possess a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) which the school has denied ever issuing to him.
A two-year investigation by PREMIUM TIMES also found that Nnaji’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is allegedly a forgery, according to NYSC headquarters in Abuja.
PREMIUM TIMES said upon its enquiry, UNN Vice Chancellor Simon Ortuanya, a professor, replied in a letter dated 2 October 2025 that Nnaji was admitted to UNN in 1981 but did not complete his course and was not issued a degree certificate.
“We refer to your letter dated 29 September 2025 in respect of the above subject matter,” Ortuanya wrote in reply to the newspaper.
“We can confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.
“From every available records and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology.
“This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached).”
PREMIUM TIMES added that Ortuanya’s response to its enquiry, “which came several months after the NYSC issued a similar verdict, is the high point of this newspaper’s two-year painstaking investigation into Mr Nnaji’s degree and NYSC certificates.”
Tinubu himself has been dogged by a certificate scandal since his days as Lagos Governor (1999 – 2007), culminating in Atiku Abubakar presenting documents alleging Tinubu’s multiple certificate forgeries at the presidential election tribunal in 2023.
The tribunal affirmed Tinubu the winner of the election without accepting or examining the documents, in a judgment declare live on national television.
After the latest certificate sleaze, Peter Obi – another contestant against Tinubu in the 2023 election – insisted on X on Monday that the only way forward is for the authorities, beginning with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to prosecute certificate forgers to stop the festering crime.
“How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest and upright when those they are supposed to emulate are the least to be emulated because they are criminals and dishonest? Obi wrote.
“Certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence in all countries of the world. It is one of the most corrupt practices heavily punished.
“We are now preparing for the 2027 general elections. INEC have enough time to investigate past complaints about various forms of forgery and false claims.
“Our Electoral amendments must include that anyone intending to contest for any public office, whether an incumbent or a new candidate, must submit all academic certificates to the electoral body immediately after party primaries, at least six months before the election.
“We must deal with certificate forgery holistically with the seriousness and level of criminality it deserves. Criminal offences should not be dismissed as a mere procedural matter. We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth.”
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