Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Labour Party(LP) 2023 presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant clearing agencies to ensure thorough scrutiny of candidates’ certificates and other credentials to prevent the embarrassment of allowing criminals into office.
Obi noted that many people in office were currently parading forged certificates and fraudulent affidavits they used in 2023, yet they scaled through both INEC, security, and the Senate with forged documents.
In a statement signed by the Spokesperson for Peter Obi Media Reach(POMR), Ibrahim Umar, the former Anambra governor stressed that thorough scrutiny had become necessary because the process by which one gets to office is far more fundamental than what they do thereafter.
Obi urged INEC and other relevant agencies to ensure that candidates’ documents and character are thoroughly examined and necessary action is taken.
“Whenever I talk about Nigeria being a crime scene, those who are part of the criminality and their hirelings will quickly start their noise-making, attacking and blackmailing me. But how do you tell people that those whose integrity, character and behaviour are supposed to be exemplary and emulated in society have become the source of the nation’s decay?
“How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest and upright when those they are supposed to emulate are the least to be emulated because they are criminals and dishonest?
“Certificate forgery is a serious criminal offence in all countries. It is one of the most corrupt practices that is heavily punished.
“In one of my knowledge-seeking visits to Indonesia early this year, after interacting with several ministers responsible for Health, Villages, SMEs, Planning, and Education, as well as the Vice President and President Joko Widodo on development, I met with the Chairman of the General Elections Commission of Indonesia.
“I asked him about the educational qualifications required to participate in elections from local government to the state legislature, governorship, and up to the presidential level.
He openly stated these qualifications to me.
“My team and I then asked a simple question: What happens if someone contests for public office with a forged certificate or did not attend the school he claimed he attended? He looked at me, surprised, and said, “That attracts immediate disqualification and prosecution. It is a criminal offence. He added, “If someone can forge a certificate, how can that person be trusted to lead others?”
“But in my country Nigeria, though the laws are same as in other countries, that forgery is punished by immediate disqualification, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) makes no effort to scrutinize certificates before the elections, over looks complaints of forgery and when you challenged after the elections, court will dismiss the serious criminal issues as “pre-election matters” without giving this criminal act appropriate punishment.
Even after the elections, the INEC does not bother to revisit or investigate these serious offences before the next election.
“The other concern is how criminals and dishonest people scale through all the scrutiny layers -security, parliament and government apparatus set to handle such.
“Even more disturbing, amounting to double tragedy, is that most of these dishonest people swore an affidavit before a law court attesting to the authenticity of the documents they presented.
“We are now preparing for the 2027 general elections. INEC has enough time to investigate past complaints about various forms of forgery and false claims.
“Our Electoral amendments must include that anyone intending to contest for any public office, whether an incumbent or a new candidate, must submit all academic certificates to the electoral body immediately after party primaries, at least six months before the election.
“These certificates, alongside details of schools attended, what was studied and years of study, should be made public for verification within 90 days. This process must also apply to appointed officials, Ministers and even aides, because when dishonesty starts from the top, it spreads to every level of governance, just like it’s happening now.
“We must deal with certificate forgery holistically with the seriousness and level of criminality it deserves. Criminal offences should not be dismissed as a mere procedural matter. We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth,” the statement added.
