Former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, has explained that his resignation from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet was to protect his integrity and prevent distractions to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nnaji resigned from his position on Tuesday amid controversies surrounding his academic records and allegations of certificate forgery.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the former minister said his decision followed “deep reflection and consultations with family, associates, and well-meaning Nigerians.”
He described his resignation as a response to an “orchestrated sustained campaign of falsehood, politically motivated, and malicious attacks” directed at him and his office over the past week.
“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,” Nnaji stated.
He clarified that stepping down was not an admission of guilt but a principled move to uphold due process and respect ongoing judicial proceedings.
“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 added.
Nnaji said he could not allow distractions to cast a shadow over the Tinubu administration’s objectives, emphasizing that his reputation was built on “five decades of hard work, honour, and service to humanity.”
He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and pledged his continued support for the administration’s vision of a “renewed, innovative, and technologically driven Nigeria.”
Appointed in August 2023, Nnaji served until his resignation amid ongoing investigations into alleged procurement irregularities in his ministry.
His resignation followed a public dispute between him and the Enugu State Government over claims that he presented forged certificates.
