A lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, has criticised the Nigerian authorities for failing to prosecute a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over a certificates forgery scandal.
Mr Oshoma spoke in a video clip uploaded on a YouTube channel on 25 February.
Certificate Forgery
A painstaking two-year investigation published by PREMIUM TIMES in October final 12 months revealed that Mr Nnaji cast his diploma and NYSC certificates, which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate throughout his ministerial affirmation in 2023.
The politician resigned his place as minister barely three days after publication of the investigation.
Many Nigerians had known as for Mr Nnaji’s prosecution, sustaining that his resignation was insufficient in mild of his violations of assorted Nigerian legal guidelines, together with the Criminal Code Act.
‘Uche Nnaji shouldn’t be strolling freely’
Mr Oshoma mentioned within the video clip that he was shocked to see Mr Nnaji in Lagos State, addressing enterprise individuals from Enugu State, regardless of his certificates forgery scandal.
The lawyer faulted the Nigerian authorities for failing to file legal costs in opposition to the previous minister regardless of PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation documenting his forgery scandal.
“People like this (Uche Nnaji) should be prosecuted and banned from holding public office to serve as a deterrent to others,” he mentioned.
He argued that the APC-led Nigerian authorities selected to “forgive” the previous minister as a result of he’s a member of the ruling celebration.
Mr Oshoma argued that it’s inappropriate that the federal authorities is commonly fast to examine and prosecute poor individuals or these in opposition whereas ignoring the offences of political allies and high-profile people.
The lawyer careworn that such a authorities angle “undermines public confidence in the nation’s justice system and creates a mindset of the principle of animal farm” the place there’s no equality earlier than the legislation.
“I will therefore advocate that selective enforcement by federal agencies in prosecuting corruption and fraud-related cases for political reasons, not only erode the credibility, reputation and integrity of our criminal jurisprudence, but create a mindset of the fact that one can commit any crime provided he or she is in the ruling party,” he said.
He additional contended that the federal authorities’s failure to prosecute Mr Nnaji for certificates forgery had emboldened him to file a go well with in opposition to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, its vice-chancellor, registrar, the Ministry of Education, and others concerning his educational information on the college.
Atiku, NBA’s silence
Mr Oshoma expressed disappointment {that a} former Nigerian Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, the Nigeria Bar Association and civil society organisations have relented of their preliminary calls for the prosecution of the previous minister over the certificates forgery scandal.
The lawyer mentioned that the Nigerian Constitution empowers the Enugu State Government to prosecute the previous minister.
“If the federal attorney general is too busy to prosecute this man, at least the alleged offence was committed in Enugu State, and also he’s from Enugu State, and he was a minister in the Enugu State slot,” he mentioned.
He contended that, in keeping with Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, the Enugu State Attorney-General is empowered to examine and prosecute the previous minister for alleged forgery and associated offences created by legislation within the state.
“If the law applies to all equally, irrespective of tribe, status or political affiliation, we would have taken the first step in ensuring the rule of law in our country,” he added.
Section 11(1a-c), 2, and three of the Constitution empower any state attorney-general to institute, take over, and even focus on already instituted legal proceedings in opposition to any individual in respect of any offence created by or beneath any legislation created by a state meeting.
ICPC begins investigation
Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported in February that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has begun an investigation into Mr Nnaji’s certificates forgery.
Insiders had advised this newspaper that the previous minister may very well be prosecuted if the investigation exhibits that he really cast his credentials.
Background
In October 2023, PREMIUM TIMES started an investigation into Mr Nnaji’s educational information.
The then-minister had submitted a level and NYSC certificates to President Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate throughout his ministerial affirmation.
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He claimed to have obtained a level certificates from UNN, the place he graduated in 1985.
Apparently disturbed by the scrutiny, Mr Nnaji filed a go well with on the Federal High Court in Abuja to block each UNN and its Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, from releasing his educational information.
Apart from the UNN and its vice-chancellor, the minister of schooling, the National Universities Commission, the college’s registrar, a former UNN Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofo Ujam, and the Senate of the college had been listed as defendants within the go well with.
But earlier than the minister filed the go well with, Mr Ortuanya, a professor, had responded to PREMIUM TIMES’ FOI letter, confirming that Mr Nnaji had cast his UNN diploma certificates.
The UNN registrar would shortly thereafter corroborate Mr Ortuanya’s place, stating that though Mr Nnaji was admitted to the college in 1981, he neither graduated nor acquired any certificates.
NYSC authorities, in response to a separate FOI letter from PREMIUM TIMES, had disowned the discharge certificates in possession of the then-minister.
Mr Nnaji resigned from his place as minister three days after this newspaper revealed the investigation exposing how he cast his diploma and NYSC certificates.