Former Minister of Technology Uche Nnaji, who left President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet in 2025 after a certificate forgery scandal, has secured the Peoples Democratic Party governorship ticket in Enugu.
A member of the Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the PDP, Mr Nnaji polled 7,424 votes to defeat Samson Nnamani, who got 600 votes, in Monday’s governorship primary. The exercise was supervised by Austin Nwachukwu, chairman of the PDP governorship election committee in Enugu.
Mr Nnaji resigned after questions emerged over his bachelor’s degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and his National Youth Service Corps certificate.
Hedlyne had reported alleged forgery in his NYSC credentials and inconsistencies in his university certificate, claims that triggered embarrassment for the Tinubu administration and led to court petitions and an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.
“His resignation became inevitable the moment the court processes began to move forward,” a senior administration said in 2025. “The presidency wanted to avoid further embarrassment.”
After losing support within the administration, Mr Nnaji quietly moved to the opposition as he pursued his governorship ambition following his defeat in the 2023 APC governorship primary in Enugu.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa’s panel reportedly found that the former minister had falsified his credentials. Mr Nnaji also failed in an attempt to stop the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, from releasing his academic records. While he was admitted in 1981, questions remained over his graduation records. The NYSC also said it could not trace the source of his discharge certificate.
Still under ICPC investigation, Mr Nnaji obtained the PDP nomination form for the 2027 election without publicly announcing his exit from the APC.
“I give this victory to the glory of God and our Enugu people, who have been oppressed in the last three years and overburdened with excessive, obnoxious taxes,” he said.
If elected governor, ongoing prosecution could face delays because of the immunity granted to serving governors.
Gazette.
