Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, who was pressured out of workplace in October final 12 months, has sought talks with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and others for an out-of-court settlement of the swimsuit he filed to cease the college from tampering with his educational data.
Mr Nnaji filed the swimsuit in October final 12 months after a PREMIUM TIMES investigation revealed that he solid his diploma and NYSC certificates.
He resigned from workplace three days after the newspaper printed the investigation, which detailed how he submitted the certificates to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate to be appointed minister in 2023.
Apart from the UNN (third defendant), different defendants are the Minister of Education (first defendant), the National Universities Commission (second defendant), the college’s Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya (fourth defendant), the registrar (fifth defendant), former performing Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofo Ujam (sixth defendant), and the Senate of the college (seventh defendant).
However, the case has not proceeded to full listening to since final 12 months as a result of procedural points, together with service of processes and pending preliminary objections.
At Monday’s proceedings, Ope Muritala who appeared for Mr Nnaji informed the courtroom that the case though the case was scheduled for listening to, there may be “a new development as parties were exploring an out-of-court settlement”.
He requested an adjournment to permit talks.
Lawyers to the Minister of Education and the National Universities Commission, P. C Ike and N. H. Obah, stated they weren’t conscious of the event and solely heard of it “this morning in court.” They, nonetheless, didn’t oppose the request for settlement discussions.
Lawyer to UNN and its officers ( third to Seventh defendants), Chidubem Ugwueze, stated that senior advocate Chris Uche, the lead counsel for the defence had knowledgeable him of the settlement discussions, which had been relayed by Nnaji’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun.
He stated the defendants weren’t against settlement however urged the courtroom to “hear their motion for regularisation” in case the talks fail.
However, the choose, Hauwa Yilwa, declined to take the appliance. She stated the movement could be thought of if the settlement efforts fail.
In view of the settlement discussions, the choose adjourned the matter to eight July, following settlement by the events.
It shouldn’t be instantly clear what continues to be at stake within the swimsuit for the deliberate settlement talks to deal with.
Recently, an investigative panel arrange by Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, discovered that Mr Nnaji certainly solid his UNN diploma certificates.
Mr Nnaji had in an ex parte movement sought depart to institute the motion to bar the college and its officers from tampering with his educational data.
He additionally sought an order of mandamus compelling the college to launch his educational transcript, and requested the Minister of Education and the National Universities Commission to make use of their supervisory powers to make sure compliance.
He additional sought an interim injunction restraining the college and its officers from interfering with his educational data pending dedication of the substantive swimsuit.
But UNN and the University officers in a preliminary objection urged the courtroom to strike out the swimsuit for lack of jurisdiction.
They additionally sought substantial prices towards the third, fourth, and sixth defendants.
They argued that the appliance was filed exterior the statutory time restrict beneath Order 34 Rule 4(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and Section 2(a) of the Public Officers Protection Act.
They additional argued that the swimsuit was incompetent as a result of the movement for prerogative orders was wrongly filed by movement on discover as an alternative of an originating movement, as required by the principles.
They described the appliance as untimely and speculative, arguing that no request for educational data had been denied and no proof of interference had been proven.
The defendants additionally argued that the courtroom lacked jurisdiction over issues regarding scholar educational data, examinations, outcomes, and transcripts.
They stated the dispute didn’t fall inside issues coated beneath Section 251(1) of the Constitution.
They additional argued that inner treatments had not been exhausted and that no breach of elementary rights had been established.
They added that no cheap reason for motion was disclosed towards the third to seventh defendants, together with the Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, who acted in an official capability.
READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: UNN sanctions official for issuing false document claiming ex-Minister Uche Nnaji graduated from university
Confirmations
The seven-member panel constituted by the Minister of Education on 23 November 2025 in response to Mr Nnaji’s petition had cleared the vice-chancellor of any wrongdoing and confirmed Mr Nnaji certainly solid his certificates.
PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation had revealed that though Mr Nnaji was admitted to review organic sciences at UNN in the course of the 1981/82 educational session, he didn’t graduate and was not issued a certificates after failing one in every of his programs —Virology (MCB 431AB).
In the federal authorities panel report, solely obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, investigators stated they performed “a thorough review of the Senate-approved graduation list of 1985 and the personal student file” of Mr Nnaji and located, amongst others, that his identify was not within the commencement listing within the 1985 set.
The panel stated it obtained “several correspondences” dated from 8 November 1985 to 19 May 1986 between Mr Nnaji and the Registry Department of the college relating to his failed course MCB 431 – Virology, which had been documented from pages 69 to 55 of the previous minister’s educational file.
It added that Mr Nnaji, in his handwritten correspondence dated 19 May 1986 and titled “Application to take course, 431AB in September,” defined that he couldn’t write the examination scheduled for 21 April 1986 as a result of in poor health well being, and hooked up a supporting medical report.
“The panel was unable to find any record of him (Nnaji) having taken the failed course,” the report additional learn.
The panel then questioned how Mr Nnaji obtained the “purported certificate of graduation” dated July 1985, which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu for appointment and to the National Assembly for his ministerial affirmation.
The panel’s findings on Mr Nnaji aligned with this newspaper’s report, which uncovered the then-minister’s legal and unethical certificates forgery.
There have been strident requires the prosecution of Mr Nnaji for forgery.