Leave Mbah Out Of Ex-Minister’s Travails, Enugu Govt Tells Ohanaeze

The government of Enugu State, Thursday, said the alleged certificate forgery scandal of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, has no business with Gov Peter Mbah.

The state was reacting to a release by the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, claiming Nnaji’s travails were politically motivated.

The Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Mr Onyekwere Nwobodo, in a statement, described Igboayaka’s claims as “a laughable attempt to drag the name and office of the Executive Governor into odious travails of Chief Nnaji”.

He stated that, “It was obviously a convenient, last ditch effort to deflect attention and liability by dragging the name of the governor into the mess Uche Nnaji had single-handedly inflicted on himself! At what point in this matter did the name of Gov Mbah feature, whether as complainant or witness?”

Nwobodo explained that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant in the criminal complaint against Uche Nnaji.

He continued, “It is, therefore , absurd and disingenuous to think that accusing a perceived adversary of involvement in one’s unsavoury situation, in itself, would mitigate assured fate, tilt public opinion or hamstring legitimate law enforcement.

“It is germane to state categorically that Gov Mbah has filed no complaints against Nnaji, civil or criminal. It would have been better for cheap hirelings like Igboayaka to explore available legal and/or judicial means under the law to assist Mr Nnaji prove his innocence swiftly, rather than spending precious time and efforts seeking to drag in someone that has nothing whatsoever to do with his situation.”

The adviser told Igboayaka that threatening a statutory institution like the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission to dissuade it from performing its lawful duty, because a politically exposed person is involved, would set a dangerous precedent.

According to him, it amounted to “availing criminal immunity to all manner of fugitives, who ordinarily deserve to be in jail.”

He urged the embattled minister to channel his endeavours to mounting a credible legal defence “than procuring charlatans and social media goons to seek to use blackmail and intimidation to help him escape justice”.

He concluded that Chief Nnaji should be “anxious and ready for his impending day in court so he can have the chance to prove his innocence, once and for all”.

THE WHISTLER reported that Chief Nnaji is the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Enugu State. He is being interrogated by the ICPC over alleged certificate forgery.