Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has issued a blistering rebuke of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration following the controversial resignation of Uche Nnaji, the now-former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology. In a press statement titled “Forgery As State Policy: Tinubu, His Cabinet, And The DSS Must Be Held Accountable,” Atiku described the resignation as a cover-up for deeper systemic rot within the federal government.
According to Atiku, Nnaji’s departure, which the presidency described as “voluntary,” is emblematic of a broader culture of deceit, forgery, and moral bankruptcy that he claims has defined the Tinubu administration.
“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,” the former Vice President stated.
Atiku argued that Nnaji, who has been accused of falsifying academic and professional records, should have been dismissed and prosecuted rather than allowed to exit quietly. He criticized the Tinubu administration for what he called a consistent pattern of enabling questionable characters within its ranks.
In a particularly sharp section of the statement, Atiku directed criticism at the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the security agency of selective screening and failure of due diligence. He referenced the DSS’s controversial decision to block former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, from ministerial confirmation over alleged “security concerns,” contrasting it with the agency’s clearance of Nnaji.
“The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace,” Atiku remarked sarcastically. “Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world.”
The former VP posed a serious question about how many more individuals with questionable credentials may be holding sensitive positions in the current administration.
Atiku did not spare President Tinubu in the blistering release. He accused the president of setting a negative precedent through his own history of alleged forgery and conflicting biographical claims. Citing longstanding controversies around Tinubu’s academic records, including the well-known Chicago State University case, Atiku claimed the president has “institutionalized falsehood in public service.”
“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance,” he declared.
Atiku called for an independent and comprehensive probe into the credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, starting with President Tinubu himself. He emphasized that Nigerians have the right to know the true identities and qualifications of those governing them.
“Until this cleansing is done, Nigeria will continue to sink deeper into moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment.”
The statement concluded with a call for national renewal through transparency, accountability, and the restoration of integrity in public life.
As of the time of this report, neither the presidency nor the DSS has issued a response to Atiku’s accusations or his call for a sweeping investigation.
