Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has defined that his resignation from President Bola Tinubu’s cupboard was a private determination made to guard his integrity.
He mentioned the transfer was additionally aimed toward stopping pointless distractions to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nnaji had resigned from his place on Tuesday amid controversies surrounding his educational credentials and allegations of certificates forgery.
In a press release launched the identical day, which adopted affirmation of his resignation by the Presidency, Nnaji mentioned he stepped down after “deep reflection and consultations with family, associates, and well-meaning Nigerians.”
According to him, his exit got here in response to “an orchestrated sustained campaign of falsehood, politically motivated, and malicious attacks” focused at his particular person and workplace in current days.
“These unfounded allegations and media distortions have not only caused personal distress but have also begun to distract from the vital work of the ministry and the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President,” he mentioned.
Nnaji harassed that his resignation shouldn’t be seen as an request for forgiveness however as a principled act to uphold due course of and permit judicial proceedings to run their course.
“My decision to step aside is therefore a personal choice — not an admission of guilt, but rather a principled decision to respect the sanctity of due process and to preserve the integrity of the judicial proceedings currently before the court. In the end, justice will prevail, and history will vindicate the just,” he acknowledged.
The former minister added that he couldn’t, in good conscience, enable “distractions to cast a shadow over the noble objectives” of the Tinubu administration, emphasizing that his popularity was constructed over “five decades anchored on hard work, honour, and service to humanity.”
Nnaji expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the belief and alternative to serve, pledging his continued loyalty to the administration’s imaginative and prescient for a “renewed, innovative, and technologically driven Nigeria.”
Appointed in August 2023, Nnaji served till his resignation amid ongoing investigations into alleged procurement irregularities in his ministry.
He and the Enugu State Government have additionally traded phrases over allegations that he offered solid educational certificates.
