The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has called for decisive action against politicians found guilty of forging academic certificates, describing the act as a grave crime that undermines integrity in public leadership.
In a statement shared via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Obi emphasized that true leadership must be rooted in honesty, lamenting that Nigeria continues to reward deceit and forgery with political power.
He expressed concern that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) often fails to conduct adequate verification of candidates’ academic credentials before elections, thereby allowing unqualified individuals to occupy public offices.
“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?” Obi queried.
He reiterated that certificate forgery constitutes a serious criminal offence globally, one that attracts severe penalties in most countries. Obi therefore urged Nigerian authorities to adopt the same level of seriousness in tackling such offences.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Obi urged INEC to begin verifying past and present complaints of forged certificates and false claims made by political aspirants. He also proposed an electoral reform that mandates all candidates to submit their academic certificates to INEC immediately after party primaries, at least six months before the polls, to allow ample time for verification.
“We must deal with certificate forgery holistically with the seriousness and level of criminality it deserves,” Obi stressed. “Criminal offences should not be dismissed as mere procedural matters. We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth.”
