By John Ogunsemore
Copyright thesun
demands probe of credentials of all FEC members
By John Ogunsemore
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said immediate-past Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji should have been sacked and prosecuted, not allowed to voluntarily resign.
He stated this in a statement on Wednesday following the presidency’s announcement of Nnaji’s resignation on Tuesday.
Nnaji, who claimed to be a target of blackmail by political opponents, resigned amid a certificate forgery scandal.
Presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga said, “President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours”.
Reacting, Atiku berated the presidency’s handling of Nnaji’s certificate forgery scandal, which he said has once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Tinubu administration.
He added, “What should ordinarily be a matter of national shame is now being disguised as a ‘voluntary resignation’, an attempt to whitewash yet another scandal that typifies the forgery-ridden character of this government.
“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.”
Atiku slammed the Department of State Services (DSS), whose security report allegedly screened out Mallam Nasir el-Rufai from becoming minister, for clearing Nnaji.
He said, “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 2023 presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reiterated that the scandal scandal points to a deeper rot in the Tinubu government which reaches the very top.
“This episode is not isolated. 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,” Atiku stated.
He demanded an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, beginning with the president himself.
“Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources,” he stressed.