The Editor-in-Chief and the Chief Operating Officer of PREMIUM TIMES, Musikilu Mojeed, has announced plan to sue Robert Ngwu, spokesperson for former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over his false bribery allegation against the newspaper.
While appearing as a guest on a Channels Television programme Tuesday morning, Mr Ngwu baselessly accused PREMIUM TIMES of receiving a N100 million bribe from the Enugu State Government to pursue the investigative reporting exposing Mr Nnaji’s certificate forgery scandal.
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PREMIUM TIMES’ two-year investigative report published on Saturday revealed that Mr Nnaji forged his bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificates with which he secured his ministerial appointment in 2023.
Mr Mojeed appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday evening, refuting Mr Ngwu’s unfounded bribery claim.
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“We are not a newspaper that anyone can malign. We have built our integrity for close to 15 years. We have done major investigative stories, and no one has ever accused us of bribery,” Mr Mojeed said.
“Our practice is built solely on integrity. Not even a Robert Ngwu or Uche Nnaji can destroy that.”
He said Mr Ngwu’s defamatory remarks would not go unchallenged.
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He disclosed that the newspaper’s lawyers had started reviewing Mr Ngwu’s comments and would have him compelled to prove his claims in court.
“He will have to present evidence of how the money was given and received,” Mr Mojeed stated.
Ngwu’s false allegation
Mr Ngwu ended up admitting that he had no proof yet to back his allegation against PREMIUM TIMES during the live Channels Television’s live programme on Tuesday
“PREMIUM TIMES was allegedly paid N100 million to start this process,” the spokesperson said while fielding questions from the anchors.
“By who?” Kayode Okikiolu, one of the programme anchors, asked him.
“This is a big allegation, Mr Ngwu. Who paid and do you have proof?” the anchor asked again.
Mr Ngwu tried to evade the question by stressing “allegedly paid,” before promising to speak on that later.
When pressed, he claimed: They (PREMIUM TIMES) were allegedly paid by the state government of Enugu State. That’s the person behind the mask.”
Mr Okikiolu, for the umpteenth time, asked Mr Ngwu to show proof of his allegation but the aide claimed the proof would be given later and then asked the Enugu State Government to defend itself.
Another anchor, Bukola Coker, further pressed the minister’s aide to give proof of his allegations.
“It was people who (gave) verbal confirmation (of the allegation). We can find out,” Mr Ngwu finally responded.
“We have our sources,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Government has since denied allegations the government was involved in the investigation uncovering Mr Nnaji’s certificate forgery.
Background
On Saturday, PREMIUM TIMES published a damning investigation revealing that Mr Nnaji forged both his university degree and NYSC discharge certificates, which he presented to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023.
The investigation confirmed longstanding suspicions about Mr Nnaji’s academic credentials. Critics had repeatedly alleged that he never completed his degree programme at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
PREMIUM TIMES obtained documents showing that, at the time he claimed to have graduated, he was still corresponding with UNN about retaking a failed terminal course.
The findings forced Mr Nnaji to resign from his ministerial position on Tuesday evening.
How the scandal was exposed – Mojeed
Mr Mojeed explained on the Politics Today programme that the investigation began after an anonymous whistleblower alerted the newsroom to discrepancies in the minister’s records.
“The whistleblower was confident that if we did a diligent investigation, we would uncover something shocking. We took up the challenge in 2023,” he said.
He explained that the newspaper’s Reporters in Enugu and Abuja pursued the story for over two years, filing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to UNN and NYSC, and reviewing multiple official documents, as well as forensic audits.
Initially, he said UNN ignored the first FOI request submitted in February 2024. The newspaper later learned that powerful interests sought to frustrate the probe.
Mr Mojeed noted that progress came after a change of leadership at the institution in August, when the vice-chancellor and registrar confirmed that UNN never issued Mr Nnaji a degree certificate.
“Luckily for us, the vice-chancellor responded. Just today, the registrar also affirmed the same position,” Mr Mojeed said.
READ ALSO:How whistleblower helped us to uncover Uche Nnajis certificate forgery Premium Times editor
The revelations culminated in a comprehensive report that has sparked widespread public outrage and renewed calls for accountability in public office.
This newspaper reported on Sunday that the then-minister had admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate.
Many Nigerians expressed outrage over the then-minister’s certificate forgery.
On Monday, Mr Nnaji was absent from a press conference his office called to address the matter. His aides, however, appeared on his behalf during which they made unsubstantiated claims, including the claim that the then-minister indeed graduated from UNN.
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