President Bola Tinubu has summoned the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over allegations that he forged his university certificates.

Premium Times had reported that Nnaji did not graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), alleging that the minister forged the academic documents he submitted for his appointment.

The minister had claimed to have graduated from UNN in 1985 with a degree in microbiology.

However, the newspaper’s investigation revealed that Nnaji was required to retake a course in virology in 1986, having failed it in 1985, and therefore could not have graduated in the year he claimed.

Reports say the controversy over the minister’s academic record prompted the president to summon him to the presidential villa.

As of the time of filing this report, Nnaji was still at the villa to clarify issues surrounding his academic qualifications.

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The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has issued an interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force from implementing or enforcing the recently announced Tinted Glass Permit Policy slated to commence on Monday, October 6, 2025.

The order followed a motion filed by John Aikpokpo-Martins, who sought to stop the police from proceeding with the enforcement of the policy, which he described as unlawful and burdensome to citizens.

Delivering the ruling, Justice H.A. Nganjiwa granted an interim injunction restraining the defendants — the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force — including their officers, agents, or contractors, from enforcing or further implementing the Tinted Glass Permit Policy pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion before the court.

The court also restrained the police and their agents from harassing, stopping, arresting, detaining, or impounding the vehicles of the plaintiff or any other person under the guise of enforcing the said policy.

Furthermore, the court granted leave to the plaintiff to serve the originating summons and other court processes on the defendants through substituted means — specifically by FedEx courier service.

Justice Nganjiwa described the applicant’s move to seek judicial intervention as timely and proper, noting that the decision was made after hearing submissions from a legal team led by Kunle Edun, SAN, and several other counsel representing the plaintiff.

The case, John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector General of Police & Anor (FHC/WR/CS/103/2025), has been adjourned for further hearing on the substantive motion.

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The court order comes after the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday said it has not been officially served with the court order regarding the enforcement of tinted glass permits.

Human Rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had posted on X, reports that the court had ordered the Police to maintain the status quo on the tinted glass permit case.

Responding, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Police had not received any official notification.

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Professor Mahmood Yakubu has handed over to May Agbamuche as the Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Agbamuche is the oldest serving National Commissioner in the electoral body.

Professor Yakubu announced this on Tuesday at the ongoing meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

He solicited the support of the commissioners and directors of the commission for Agbamuche, until the appointment of a substantive chairman.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu is leaving office as INEC chairman, having completed his two-term tenure of 10 years.

President Tinubu is expected to appoint his successor soon, subject to a Senate confirmation.

Yakubu was first appointed the INEC chairman by former President Muhammadu Buhari to oversee the activities of the electoral umpire in November 2015, six months after he assumed the office as the President.

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He completed his first term in office as the electoral body’s chairman in 2020, and was reappointed for a second tenure by President Buhari.

Yakubu’s reappointment by President Buhari made him the first person to serve as INEC chairman for two terms.

He took over from Professor Attahiru Jega, with INEC conducting many elections, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections.

The Presidency has declared that it will refrain from taking any steps concerning the serious allegations of certificate forgery involving the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji.

Instead, it will patiently await the court’s ruling on this pressing issue before deciding on any course of action.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this position clear while addressing journalists on Monday. He explained that since the controversy is already a subject of litigation, the Federal Government will allow the judicial process to run its course before deciding on the next steps.

The clarification follows reports that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has distanced itself from the academic certificate allegedly presented by the minister.

In a letter dated October 2, 2025, and signed by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya, the university stated that available records show Nnaji was admitted to study Microbiology/Biochemistry in 1981 but did not complete the programme.

“From every available record and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985. There are no records of his completion of study. Consequently, the University DID NOT and COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate,” the letter read in part.

The minister has, however, strongly denied the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. Speaking in Abuja on Monday, he accused the university authorities of issuing contradictory reports about his academic records to serve the interests of a state governor who, according to him, wants him removed from office for political reasons.

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Nnaji also faulted the university’s refusal to release his academic transcript despite a court order. In September, the Federal High Court in Abuja had restrained UNN from tampering with his records and directed the institution to issue the transcript.

“It is increasingly clear that this entire episode is not about education or integrity; it is about political desperation, disguised as academic inquiry,” Nnaji said. “The timing, the sources, the false documents and the paid narratives all point to a coordinated campaign to drag a reputable public servant into the mud of partisan politics.”

The case has been scheduled for hearing on November 10, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, has recorded its highest number of First-Class graduates since inception, with 185 students attaining the top academic honour in the 2025 graduating set.

Also in a major development for Nigeria’s private education sector, the Vice – Chancellor, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele announced that Redeemer’s University has been selected by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) as one of the only eight private universities in the country approved to train government-sponsored postgraduate students.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele, made this know yesterday during a press briefing to mark the university’s 17th convocation ceremony and 20th anniversary celebration.

Akindele described the milestone as “a reflection of the institution’ s commitment to academic excellence and character development,” adding that the 2025 convocation represents a season of “double honour” for the faith-based institution.

According to him, “We are not only graduating from another distinguished class, the indomitable Set of 2025, but we are also celebrating 20 years of Redeemer’s University. Indeed, this is a season of double honour,” he said.

“This is a remarkable feat, especially considering that there are 168 private universities in Nigeria as at today.

The Vice-Chancellor noted: “It affirms the credibility and standard of our postgraduate programmes,” the Vice-Chancellor stated. A total of 1,341 students are graduating this year, comprising 1,003 undergraduates and 338 postgraduates.”

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Among them, Mr. Joel Durugbo, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, emerged as the overall best graduating student with a perfect 5.0 CGPA, another first in the university’s history.

Akindele also highlighted the institution’s growing international profile, noting that Redeemer’s University ranked number two in Nigeria in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and emerged No. 1 in several Sustainable Development Goals categories.

The university’s African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), led by Professor Christian Happi, has also continued to earn global acclaim.

Happi was recently listed among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 for his pioneering work in genomics and public health.

“These milestones confirm Redeemer’s University as a place where faith, knowledge, and innovation converge for global impact,” Akindele said.

The Vice-Chancellor recounted highlights of the university’s 20th anniversary, including new infrastructure projects commissioned by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the university’s Visitor, and Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye.

Among the commissioned projects were the Faculty of Law building, the Josephus Institute of Earth Sciences, and the Redeemer’s University Staff School.

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Pastor Adeboye also performed the sod-turning of a proposed 10,000-seater university chapel auditorium.

Three prominent Nigerians, Evangelist Omolewa Yetunde Ahmed, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye, and Mr. Kola Adesina, are to receive honorary doctorate degrees during the convocation ceremonies later this week.

Akindele concluded the briefing with optimism about the university’s future.

“As we celebrate 20 years of God’s faithfulness and the release of the Indomitable Set, I declare that the best days of Redeemer’s University are still ahead,” he noted.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, on Tuesday swore in three members following their victory in the August 16, 2025, bye-elections.

The three new lawmakers are among the five elected to fill the vacant seats following the death of four members and the choice of Dennis Idahosa as the running mate of Senator Monday Okpebholo in the 2024 Edo governorship.

Recall that the Green Chamber lost four members due to illness in 2024, including Ekene Adams (Kaduna), Isa Dogonyaro (Jigawa) and Olaide Akinremi (Oyo), while Oriyomi Onanuga died in 2025.

In August, the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted bye-elections in the respective states to fill the vacant seats.

While the All Progressives Congress won four out of the five vacant seats, the Peoples Democratic Party won one seat.

Those sworn in on Tuesday are Omosede Igbinedion (Ovia South/Ovia West/Ovia North-East Federal Constituency, Edo State), Joseph Bagudu (Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Kaduna State) and Mukhtar Rabiu of Garki/Babura Federal Constituency, Jigawa State.

No reason was given for the absence of Elegbeji Ayola, who won the Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency, Ogun State seat and Oyekunle Sunday, who won the Ibadan North seat.

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Of the five, Mr Sunday is the only lawmaker produced by the PDP.