The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has dismissed allegations that former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, deliberately continued to receive government salary after leaving office, insisting available documents show he reported the payments and initiated a refund.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group described the allegation as “nonsense borne out of ignorance,” arguing that it ignored documentary evidence indicating that Nnaji alerted the Federal Government after discovering that salary payments had continued following his resignation.

HURIWA said the former minister, who resigned on October 7, 2025, wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) after noticing the continued payments, requesting the computation of the amount involved and the appropriate government account for a refund.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko

According to the organisation, Nnaji stated in his correspondence: “I respectfully request that the relevant office(s) provide the appropriate instructions, computation, and designated government account details to facilitate a full refund of all payments made in error after my resignation from office.”

The rights group added that the former minister also instructed Fidelity Bank Plc on June 25, 2026, to debit his account and remit the funds to the Federal Government through the Remita platform under the Office of the SGF, with the transaction described as a refund of salary paid after his resignation.

It argued that the documents raised questions about how Nnaji could be accused of deliberately receiving the funds after notifying the authorities and taking steps to return the money.

Rather than blame the former minister, HURIWA urged anti-graft agencies to investigate the government’s payroll system and determine why his profile remained active after he had left office.

The organisation also claimed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had previously looked into the matter and did not establish that Nnaji orchestrated or was responsible for the continued salary payments.

While reaffirming its support for accountability, HURIWA cautioned against what it described as attempts to politicise corruption allegations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It urged the ICPC to conduct an impartial investigation, identify any officials responsible for lapses in the payroll system and ensure the issue was not exploited for partisan political purposes.

HEDA petitions ICPC over alleged continued salary payment to former minister Geoffrey Nnaji

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) had earlier submitted a supplementary petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging the Commission to expand its ongoing investigation into former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, to include alleged salary fraud, unlawful enrichment, payroll manipulation, and possible conspiracy involving public officials.

The petition, signed by HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju addressed to the commission, follows an earlier petition dated 17 October 2025 concerning allegations of certificate forgery, perjury, and presentation of false academic credentials by Mr. Nnaji. HEDA stated that new information obtained from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) indicates that Mr. Nnaji may have continued to receive government salary payments months after his removal from office.

According to the petition submitted to the ICPC, payroll records obtained from IPPIS for June 2026 allegedly showed that Mr. Nnaji remained listed under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) as “Hon. Minister” and received a net payment of ₦170,282.61 for the month. The document referenced in the petition also reportedly indicated cumulative earnings of ₦5,845,601.13 recorded on the system.

The group expressed concern that if verified, the continued payment of public funds to an individual no longer occupying the office raises serious questions about weaknesses in government payroll management systems and possible breaches of public service accountability standards.

“We are concerned that a public official who has left office could allegedly remain active on the government payroll system for several months. Beyond the individual involved, this raises questions about the accountability of officials responsible for maintaining and supervising government payroll records,” He added.

In its supplementary petition, Suraju urged the ICPC to expand the scope of its investigation and consider additional offences relating to alleged salary fraud, unlawful enrichment, payroll manipulation, and possible collaboration with officials responsible for maintaining payroll records.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has vacated the judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties accused of failing to meet constitutional requirements.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, held that the order which the Federal High Court issued to the electoral body on June 15 amounted to a nullity.

It held that the high court wrongly assumed jurisdiction and made the order on an incompetent suit that was filed by a non-juristic entity.

According to the appellate court, there was no valid suit that could have warranted the consequential order that directed INEC to derecognise the political parties.

It noted that the trial court failed to properly evaluate evidence placed before it, stressing that proof that the parties won various seats in previous elections was ignored.

It also held that the high court acted in defiance of an order that directed it to stay proceedings in the case.

It held that the high court ought to have dismissed the substantive case for want of jurisdiction and merit.

Consequently, the appellate court, in its lead judgment delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed, held that all the affected political parties remained duly registered.

It allowed separate appeals filed by the political parties and awarded monetary costs against the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which had filed the case against them.

Aside from the ADC, the other parties whose registration the appellate court restored are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

It will be recalled that the appellate court had, on June 16, ordered a stay of execution of the High Court judgment, even as it slammed the trial judge for disregarding the judicial hierarchy.

The panel berated Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja for disobeying an order it had made on May 22 directing him to stay proceedings in the case pending the outcome of an appeal by the parties.

It noted that even though the trial judge’s attention had been drawn to the order for a stay of proceedings, he intentionally flouted it and went ahead to deliver judgment.

It held that Justice Lifu’s action was “a form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court had previously held that a judge who acts in such a manner “is unfit for the bench, as the conduct amounts to judicial rascality”.

It will be recalled that the High Court had directed INEC to deregister the five political parties, which it said had failed to meet the constitutional requirements needed to warrant their continued existence and participation in future elections.

It also barred INEC from according further recognition to the parties, accepting nominations of candidates from the affected parties, or giving effect to their activities for purposes of participating in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Lifu ordered the defendants to stop parading themselves as registered political parties in the country, saying he found merit in the suit filed by the NFFL.

The NFFL had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, asked the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional obligation to remove political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations.

It was the plaintiffs’ position that the five political parties listed as defendants had persistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration.

The former legislators stressed that the requirements include winning at least 25 per cent of the votes in a state during a presidential election, or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state, or local government level.

They told the court that the ADC and the four other parties had performed poorly in both the 2023 general elections and the by-elections conducted by INEC, thereby failing to win seats across key tiers of government.

The litigants insisted that the continued existence of the ADC and the other defendants as recognised political parties is unlawful and undermines the integrity of the country’s electoral system.

Notably, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who is also a defendant in the matter, threw his weight behind the plaintiffs.

In processes filed before the court, the AGF argued that the continued existence of the said political parties violates extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and ultimately undermines the nation’s electoral integrity.

The AGF argued that unless the court intervened, INEC would continue to act in breach of its constitutional duty by retaining parties that had failed to meet the minimum requirements prescribed by law.

However, dissatisfied with the trial court’s verdict, all the defendants, including INEC, have urged the appellate court to set it aside.

…Stakeholders, community leaders queue behind Mbah, Tinubu, APC candidates

The tour of the 17 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Enugu State by the G-17 For Peter Mbah, a grassroots political mobilization group, came to a historic and colourful conclusion, weekend, as political leaders, party stakeholders, community leaders and teeming supporters trouped out in their thousands for the grand finale.

The event, which took place at the Nkanu East Local Government headquarters, Amagunze, also marked the conclusion of the inauguration of the movement’s 17 Local Government Executives, 260 Ward Executives and Polling Unit Canvassers across Enugu State.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Council, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, described G-17 as a foremost political support group in Enugu State, commending what he described as the group’s unmatched record of grassroots mobilization and candidates’ delivery.

Hon. Edeh, who doubles as the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Enugu State, disclosed that all 17 Council Chairmamen in the state had embraced G-17’s model of mobilisation and assured that both himself and his successor would continue working closely with the movement to secure Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s reelection.

“As ALGON Chairman in Enugu State, I can confidently say G-17 has distinguished itself as a premier grassroots political support group in Enugu State. The structure, discipline and organisation we have witnessed across the 17 LGAs are remarkable.

“I will hand over office in September, but I will not hand over my commitment to Governor Peter Mbah. Together with my successor, we shall continue working with G-17 to ensure that Nkanu East exceeds the votes recorded in the 2023 election and delivers Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all APC candidates come 2027,” he declared.

Citing Mbah’s numerous achievements in just three years, Hon. Edeh assured that Nkanu East had already lined up behind their performing governor and son.

“Nkanu East has already been converted. Nobody needs to tell us to vote for our performing son. We are prepared, we are waiting and we shall reward him with overwhelming votes,” he said.

He further revealed that Governor Peter Mbah’s transformational leadership inspired his own administration to embark on landmark projects, including the ongoing 200,000-capacity ultra-modern civic hall, over 13 kilometres of road, the completion of the Ugbawka-Nara Bridge, and several development projects spread across the 14 political wards of the local government.

In his remarks, Member representing Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. Okey Mbah, described Governor Peter Mbah as the best Governor around and commended the Convener and BOT Chairman of G-17, Chief Chinedu Mbah, and his team for setting up a genuine and organic grassroots mobilisation for the governor’s reelection.

The APC Chairmanship Candidate for Nkanu East LGA, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, thanked the Convener for restoring G-17 to its original vision and purpose.

“The movement has returned to the hands of those who understand its purpose. What I have seen today confirms that G-17 is a truly grassroots-based political structure. I assure you that when elected, my administration will work closely with G-17 to ensure total victory for APC in 2027,” he pledged.

Also speaking, the Personal Assistant to the Governor of Enugu State and President of Tomorrow Is Here Movement (THM), Tony Okonkwo, commended G-17’s leadership for what he described as excellent grassroots political engineering.

“What G-17 is doing is commendable. Looking at this structure, I am convinced that the victory of APC candidates in 2027 is already assured.”

The Enugu State APC Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, represented by the State Organising Secretary, Engr. Onyi Odibe; Deputy State Chairman, Peace Patrick; State Woman Leader, Mrs. Esther Edeh; and the South-East APC Women Leader, Dr. Oby Ajih, among others, commended leaders of G-17 for the great job done, saying Enugu is now eager to vote Mbah and APC back into power come 2027.

Delivering the keynote address, the Convener, Chief Chinedu Mbah, reminded the newly inaugurated executives that their inauguration represented a call to service rather than a ceremonial event.

“You have accepted responsibility. Your assignment begins immediately. Move from polling unit to polling unit, ward to ward and community to community, informing our people about the achievements of Governor Peter Mbah and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Victory is built from the grassroots,” he charged them.

The ceremony climaxed with the inauguration of the Nkanu East Local Government Executives, Ward Executives and Polling Unit Canvassers, who pledged to immediately commence intensive grassroots mobilisation across the 14 political wards of Nkanu East in preparation for the 2027 general election.