Nnaji’s Alleged Fake Certificate: Ndume Speaks On Roles of Senate, DSS
- The Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has reacted to the resignation of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji
- The former minister resigned from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's cabinet over alleged certificate forgery
- Ndume explained the role the Nigerian Senate and the security agencies, especially the DSS, play before nominees by the presidency are confirmed
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, said the Nigerian Senate relies heavily on security reports in making confirmation decisions on ministerial nominees and others.
Senator Ndume explained that the Nigerian Senate is not responsible for screening nominees.
Source: UGC
He stated this while reacting to the resignation of the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over alleged certificate forgery.
The APC lawmaker insisted that security agencies — primarily the Department of State Services (DSS) handled screening and background checks on nominees forwarded by the presidency.
As reported by Daily Trust, Ndume stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, October 10, 2025.
Ndume explained that the Senate’s role in the appointment process is limited to confirmation.
“We are not screening — get this clear. Screening and confirmation are two different things,” he said. “Before the president sends a candidate to the Senate, several processes are involved, including checks by the DSS. The DSS has to clear the person first.”
He further stated that:
“Last time, the DSS brought a report against someone and we rejected the person,” Ndume recalled. “So don’t say we are not doing our job. We don’t do screening — we only confirm.”
The federal lawmaker lamented that fake certificates and certificate forgery are not only among politicians but also cut across various sectors.
Ndume assured Nigerians that the Senate would continue to depend on due diligence by security agencies to ensure that only qualified and credible individuals are confirmed for public office.
Nnaji accuses UNN of manipulating academic files
Recall that Nnaji launched a fresh attack on the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
Nnaji’s spokesperson, Robert Ngwu, accused the authorities of the federal government-owned university of manipulating the minister's academic files.
Ngwu alleged that the matter is a "legal politics" as the UNN acting vice chancellor is a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Nnaji urges UNN to release the academic transcript.
In a previous story, Legit.ng reported that Nnaji sent a crucial message to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) over the alleged certificate forgery.
Nnaji urged the authorities of the federal government-owned university to release his academic transcript.
The minister insisted he graduated from UNN in 1985 with, BSc degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry.
Source: Legit.ng
