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| Denge Onoh. |
Denge Onoh, former South-East spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, has absolved the Department of State Services (DSS) of any wrongdoing in connection with the screening of the former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Onoh emphasised that the recurring practice of requiring nominees for public office to undergo DSS screening is inappropriate and constitutes a misuse of the agency’s mandate, urging that it should be discontinued immediately.
He called on Nigeria to align itself with globally accepted standards and move away from practices typical of developing nations.
According to him, involving the DSS in such screenings originated during military rule when the Constitution was suspended, adding that this unconstitutional practice was later normalised and carried over into democratic governance.
“It is not the constitutional duty of the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS) to screen the educational qualifications of a president’s nominee for public office,” Onoh maintained.
The former presidential aide clarified that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) does not assign such a role to the DSS. Rather, the Constitution provides clear procedures where the President nominates individuals for offices such as ministers under Sections 147 and 154, while the Senate is responsible for screening and confirming nominees to determine their suitability, including academic qualifications.
“Educational credentials for such nominees are typically verified by the issuing institutions (e.g., universities) or through Senate inquiries during hearings, not by the DSS.”
“The DSS’s core functions focus on internal security, counterintelligence, and protecting senior officials, such as preventing crimes threatening national security.
“The Nigerian Constitution does not explicitly detail DSS duties but embeds them within broader executive powers (Section 5). It does not include vetting educational qualifications as a statutory obligation,” he stressed.
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