By Ijeoma Olorunfemi
Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, has reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law, urging the public to distinguish between ongoing court proceedings and media reports.
Nnaji, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Dr Robert Ngwu, said some recent media reports had conflated separate legal matters involving him and created public misunderstanding through incomplete accounts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nnaji’s academic records are the subject of a civil suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is seeking judicial clarification on the matter.
“The objective of the suit is to clarify the legal position, provide factual context and reaffirm confidence in the judicial process, rather than litigate issues through the media,” Ngwu said.
He said the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025, was instituted by Nnaji to obtain judicial clarification regarding his academic records and secure the release of his official university transcript confirming his graduation status.
Ngwu said the matter was purely civil and that Nnaji had neither been charged with any offence in the suit nor appeared before the court as a criminal defendant.
He said parties informed Justice Hauwa Yilwa on April 20, 2026, that they were exploring an amicable settlement, prompting the court to adjourn the matter for a settlement report.
According to him, when the case came up on Wednesday, parties informed the court that the settlement efforts had failed, leading to an adjournment until Oct. 20, 2026, for hearing.
“The proceedings remain purely civil in nature and should not be portrayed publicly as constituting a criminal trial against the former minister,” Ngwu said.
On reports of criminal charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ngwu said neither Nnaji nor his legal team had been formally served with any charge, hearing notice or arraignment notice.
He said Nnaji would appear before the court to defend himself once proper service was effected, in line with the provisions of the law.
Ngwu maintained that the filing of criminal charges did not amount to a conviction, adding that guilt could only be established after a full trial before a competent court.
He also referred to an earlier ex parte arrest warrant obtained by the ICPC, saying it was based on allegations that Nnaji ignored invitations and might evade court proceedings.
“The former minister has also disputed the allegations, insisting that no invitation was personally served on him at his Abuja or Enugu residences or through his officially recognised email address.
“He has remained publicly active through political meetings, stakeholder consultations, media interviews and other engagements throughout the period in question.
“Reports suggesting that the former minister evaded law enforcement agencies is inconsistent with the facts,” he added.
The spokesperson said Nnaji’s legal team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, had challenged the ex parte order before the Court of Appeal through an appeal and an application for stay.
He added that an arrest warrant issued to compel attendance should not be interpreted as proof of guilt, noting that only a court could determine guilt after trial.
Ngwu said Nnaji voluntarily resigned as minister to focus on clearing his name through the judicial process while continuing to cooperate with lawful court proceedings.
He reiterated that every Nigerian was entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court and expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved through due process. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne