An Abuja Federal High Court has rejected a bid by Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, to stop the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, from releasing his academic records.
The Minister of Education, National Universities Commission, NUC, UNN, the university’s Vice Chancellor, its Registrar and the Senate of the institution were listed as respondents in the suit.
An application for interim injunction filed by the minister’s lawyer asked the court to restrain the respondents from acting on a request for release of his academic records.
However, Justice Hausa Yilwa turned down the application.
The minister had prayed the court for an order granting leave to the applicant to issue the prerogative writ of prohibition on the 3th – 5th and the 7th Respondents (the VC, Registrar and Senate of the school) from tampering with or continuing to tamper with the Applicant’s academic records at UNN.
The minister also prayed for an order granting him leave to issue the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the 3rd – 5th and the 7th respondents to release to him his academic transcript at the varsity.
Other reliefs sought include, “An order granting leave to the applicant to issue the prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the 1st and 2nd respondents to ensure, utilising their supervisory and disciplinary powers, that the 3rd – 5th and the 7th respondents release to the applicant his academic transcript at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“An interim order of injunction restraining the 3rd – 5th and the 7th respondents from tampering or continuing to tamper with the applicant’s academic records at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
In rejecting the application after listening to the counsel, the judge held, “I have therefore perused the 34 paragraph affidavit and the 6 paragraph affidavit of urgency deposed to by the applicant, the grounds upon which this application is made, the Exhibits attached thereto and the Further Affidavit of 6 paragraphs deposed to by Martin Luther Akawe.
“I have equally considered the Written Address of Counsel. I shall therefore refer to paragraphs 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29 of the Affidavit in support of this application, Exhibits 1-2D and paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the Further Affidavit.
“I’m of the humble view from the facts deposed in the affidavits, alongside the Exhibits attached, that the applicant has sufficient interest in the matter to which this application relates. Thus, this application is meritorious. Consequently, I hereby grant prayer 1, 2 and 3 only.
“Prayer 4 is declined. Having been refused, the granting of reliefs 1-3 shall not serve as injunctive reliefs against any of the parties.”
UNN had disowned the minister’s certificate in a letter addressed to Premium Times, written by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya.
In the letter dated October 2, 2025, the university maintained that the minister did not complete his studies.
“We refer to your letter dated 29 September 2025 in respect of the above subject matter.
“We can confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.
“From every available records and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka did not and consequently, could not have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology. This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached),” Ortuanya wrote.
