Peter Obi warns against normalizing crime in Nigeria, urging INEC to tackle certificate forgery and promote integrity in leadership.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised serious concerns about the growing trend of normalizing crime in Nigeria, warning that the nation’s moral fabric is rapidly deteriorating due to the actions of corrupt and dishonest leaders.
Obi lamented that those expected to serve as role models in society have instead become symbols of corruption and moral decay, making it difficult to inspire younger generations to live with integrity.
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“How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest when those they look up to are criminals and dishonest?” he asked.
Speaking on the issue of certificate forgery, Obi described it as a grave criminal offence that is severely punished in most countries but strangely overlooked in Nigeria. He recounted his visit to Indonesia earlier in the year, where he met with several top officials, including the country’s President, Joko Widodo, and the Chairman of the General Elections Commission.
During his interaction, Obi inquired about the educational qualifications required to contest elections in Indonesia. The commission’s chairman reportedly told him that anyone caught forging certificates faces immediate disqualification and prosecution, emphasizing that such a person cannot be trusted to lead others.
However, Obi noted that Nigeria’s situation is the opposite. Despite similar laws, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) often fails to thoroughly vet candidates’ credentials. Even when evidence of forgery arises, such cases are dismissed as “pre-election matters,” denying justice and accountability.
He further questioned how individuals with questionable integrity manage to pass through multiple layers of scrutiny, including security and parliamentary checks, and even swear false affidavits to validate forged documents.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, Obi urged INEC to revisit all pending allegations of certificate forgery and false claims. He proposed that future electoral laws should require all candidates to submit their academic credentials immediately after party primaries, at least six months before elections. These documents, he said, should be made public for verification within 90 days.
Obi emphasized that the same verification process must apply to appointed officials, including ministers and aides, stressing that corruption at the top filters down through all levels of governance.
“We must treat certificate forgery with the seriousness it deserves. Criminal acts should never be dismissed as mere procedural issues,” Obi stated.
“A New Nigeria is possible, but it must start with truth.”
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