Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the academic credentials submitted by candidates seeking elective office to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
Obi made the call in a statement on Tuesday while reflecting on questions contained in the nomination forms completed by candidates contesting elections in the country.
The former Anambra governor said a section of the form, which asks whether a candidate has ever presented a forged certificate to INEC, raised broader questions about accountability and transparency in public office.
“Further in the same Section E, Question 6, was: ‘Have you ever presented a forged certificate to INEC?’ Again, the answer is either Yes or No,” Obi said.
“This raises another important question: Why shouldn’t INEC, in the interest of ensuring that our leaders are exemplary in following the rules and to strengthen public confidence in our electoral process, publish the academic certificates and credentials submitted by every candidate seeking elective office?”
Obi noted that making such documents publicly available would enhance trust in the democratic process and reinforce the integrity of those seeking public office.
“Transparency strengthens democracy and builds public trust,” he said.
The NDC presidential candidate also used the statement to question the priorities of Nigeria’s political leadership amid worsening insecurity and economic hardship.
According to him, a question in the nomination form asking whether a candidate had ever been adjudged a person of unsound mind prompted reflection on the state of leadership in the country.
“Can we, as the political leaders of today’s Nigeria, truly say we are exhibiting the characteristics of a sound mind?” Obi asked.
He said it was difficult to justify the intense focus on politics at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with insecurity, poverty and hunger.
“When Nigerians, including children and security personnel, are being abducted into the bushes, citizens cannot travel safely on our highways, several million Nigerians are uncertain where their next meal will come from, and several billions are being siphoned frivolously through non-existent agencies and projects, should politics really be our primary preoccupation?” Obi said.
He added that the country’s security and economic challenges should be treated as a national emergency requiring urgent and coordinated action.
“A sound-minded leadership would have declared these existential challenges a national emergency and immediately mobilised all relevant institutions, security agencies, experts, community leaders, and other critical stakeholders to confront them with urgency and resolve,” Obi said.
“At a moment like this, the survival, security, and stability of Nigeria must take precedence over every other consideration. This is a time for decisive action, not political calculation or the pursuit of partisan advantage.”
Obi urged leaders to focus on competence, character and service, saying Nigeria’s challenges require a departure from “politics as usual” and a renewed commitment to addressing the needs of citizens.