Hearing commenced on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a suit filed by the embattled Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
Nnaji is in court against the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, NUC, among others, seeking to stop the UNN from taking further action with regards to his disputed degree certificate.
NATIONAL POST reports that the Minister has been trending after Premium Times investigative report on his degree, as well as National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, discharge certificates.
UNN Vice Chancellor, Prof Simon Ortuanya had told the media platform that the degree certificate in Nnaji’s possession did not emanate from the university.
Enraged by the revelation, his lawyer, Sebastian Hon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), while appearing in court on Monday, expressed anger at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
It was the first hearing on the matter before the presiding judge, Justice Hauwa Yilwa.
The university and its officials, the 3rd to 7th respondents, were represented by E.M. Asogwa, while the 1st and 2nd respondents (the Minister of Education and the NUC) were not represented.
Premium Times quoted the lawyer as telling the court that: “although the 3rd to 7th respondents were served on 29 September, the 4th respondent (UNN VC) wrote an official letter to PREMIUM TIMES, an online newspaper, on 2 October, a few days after being served, claiming that the applicant was not a graduate of the university.
“The newspaper subsequently published a damaging statement against the applicant on 4 October, titled, ‘Investigation: The serial certificate forger in President Tinubu’s cabinet’.”
He argued that even though the court had earlier refused some of the applicants’ prayers, the respondents failed to maintain the status quo after being served.
The report also quoted the counsel to university and its officials, Mr Asogwa, as telling the court that while he would not add credibility to Mr Hon’s claims, his team would properly advise their “clients to maintain status quo pending the substantive hearing.”
He also told the court that his clients were still within time to file their responses
The judge did not comment on Mr Hon’s complaints before adjourning the matter until 10 November.
NATIONAL POST reports that the controversy surrounding Nnaji’s certificate has dominated discourse in his home state, Enugu, and beyond.
While his supporters say the certificate forgery allegation is politically motivated, others are urging him to break silence and counter information given by the Vice Chancellor if deemed it to be false.
