Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of President Bola Tinubu and all members of the Federal Executive Council.
“Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources,” Atiku said.
The call is coming on the heels of the resignation of the immediate past Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji who has been embroiled in certificate scandal and allegations of forgery.
In a Wednesday statement Atiku released in Abuja and titled: “Forgery As State Policy: Tinubu, His Cabinet, And The DSS Must Be Held Accountable: the former president demands that a ‘cleansing’ be done, warning that failure to do that “Nigeria will continue to sink deeper into moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment. The time has come to rescue our country from the grip of deceit and restore integrity to public life.”
On the Nnaji certificate scandal, Atiku said the resignation has exposed what he said to be the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, adding that it was a national national shame being disguised as a “voluntary resignation”, an attempt to whitewash yet another scandal that typifies the forgery-ridden character of this government.
He said “let the truth be told: Uche Nnaji should not have been allowed the courtesy of resignation. He should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification. By permitting him to quietly exit through the backdoor, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.
“What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same Department of State Services (DSS) which screened out Malam Nasir el-Rufai for alleged “security concerns” is the very agency that cleared this same character, Uche Nnaji. The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace. Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world and raises the question: how many more of such individuals are occupying sensitive positions in this government?”
The former Vice president said the Nnaji episode was not the only one, adding that “it is a reflection of a pattern, a rot that begins from the very top. The man who occupies the office of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, and academic records.
“From the Chicago State University saga to multiple contradictory claims under oath, the world has seen ample evidence that Nigeria today is led by a man who himself has been unable to credibly defend the authenticity of his own certificates.
“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance. Tinubu’s personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has effectively institutionalized falsehood in public service. It is, therefore, unsurprising that his ministers and aides have taken after his example by falsifying documents, inflating records, and desecrating the moral foundation of our nation.”
