Abuja, Nigeria — October 8, 2025.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has issued a strong statement following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, describing the development as another sign of a growing moral crisis within the current administration.

In a press release titled “Forgery as State Policy: Tinubu, His Cabinet, and the DSS Must Be Held Accountable,” Atiku criticised what he termed an attempt to “whitewash yet another scandal” by presenting Nnaji’s resignation as voluntary.

According to the former Vice President, the minister “should not have been allowed the courtesy of resignation” but should instead 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 stated.

The statement further drew attention to the role of the Department of State Services (DSS), which screened out Mallam Nasir el-Rufai for alleged “security concerns,” yet cleared Nnaji for ministerial appointment. Atiku described the development as “a national disgrace” and questioned the thoroughness of the DSS vetting process.

“Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world,” he said, calling for Nigerians to question how many similar cases exist within the government.

The former Vice President linked the alleged pattern of falsification and lack of accountability to what he called “rot that begins from the very top,” citing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s long-standing controversies over his academic records, age, and identity.

Atiku referenced the Chicago State University case and other public disputes surrounding the President’s documentation, arguing that such unresolved issues “institutionalise falsehood in public service.”

“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance,” Atiku asserted. “Tinubu’s personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has effectively made dishonesty a culture in public life.”

Calling for immediate action, Atiku urged for an independent and transparent investigation into the academic and professional records of all Federal Executive Council members, starting with President Tinubu.

“Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources,” he said.

He concluded that without a national cleansing of leadership integrity, Nigeria would continue to face “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,” he declared.

The statement was signed by Atiku Abubakar, who served as Nigeria’s Vice President between 1999 and 2007.