Certificate Forgery: Group Demands UNN VC Step Aside For ‘Unfettered’ Investigations

A group, Joint Civil Society Front, Thursday, demanded the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Uchenna Ortuanya, to step aside to allow “unfettered” investigations into the circumstances surrounding the alleged forgery of UNN’s degree certificate by the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji.

The Coordinator of the group, Mr Vincent Ani, made the request when he addressed the press in Enugu on Thursday. Ani said the recusal of Prof Ortuanya in the meantime was to ensure transparency in the assignment of the investigative panel set up by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to unravel the alleged certificate forgery of Mr Nnaji.

“Ortuanya’s suspension is the most natural step to take following his unilateral release of Chief Nnaji’s academic records without recourse to the Registrar who is legally recognised as the custodian of students’ records,” the group said.

Ani warned that Ortuanya’s decision to personally release Nnaji’s academic record ran contrary to established procedures.

Quoting him, “This is why the Education Minister’s investigative panel which began its sitting this Monday must also examine allegations of personal bias against Chief Nnaji by Prof Ortuanya.

“While we hail the Education Minister’s fact-finding panel as a step in the right direction, we must also warn that the principle of impartiality demands that a person whose action or actions become a subject of inquiry must step aside while such an inquiry is ongoing.”

The group said its call was to avoid the danger of the outcome of the inquiry “being muddled up by influence-peddling or political tampering”.

“Therefore, we in the Joint Civil Society Front demand that Professor Ortuanya step aside and remain suspended until the Education Minister’s panel on the circumstances surrounding the Hon Nnaji’s certificate forgery scandal winds up.”

It clarified that, “We believe that the Education Minister’s Investigative Panel on Uche Nnaji’s certificate scandal falls within the category of a government ministry’s activities that cannot be barred by the court, according to the ruling of the Supreme Court.

“We, therefore, urge the VC to step aside to enable the panel to carry out its assignment without let or hindrance.”

THE WHISTLER reports that ex-Minister Nnaji resigned from his ministerial position in the heat of the scandal. He was later replaced by Dr Kingsley Udeh, erstwhile Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Enugu State.