Ahead of the 2027 general elections, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct thorough verification of academic and professional certificates presented by political candidates, including President Bola Tinubu, various governors, and other public officeholders.
Obi’s call follows recent scandals involving alleged certificate forgery and fraudulent qualifications among high-profile Nigerian politicians. Stressing that honesty and integrity must underpin leadership, Obi criticized INEC for its past laxity in verifying candidate credentials, warning that unchecked falsifications undermine public trust in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
He urged INEC to institute more rigorous procedures that would require political aspirants to submit verifiable documentation months before elections, with mechanisms to publicly validate and penalize falsifications. Obi highlighted that such reforms are crucial to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections, as well as restoring the dignity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Furthermore, Obi cited the resignation of government officials caught in certificate scandals as proof of the seriousness of the issue, calling on all stakeholders to prioritize transparency. He advocated for a national framework that mandates comprehensive background checks for all public office aspirants to safeguard against dishonesty becoming the norm in Nigerian politics.
Obi’s stance resonates with growing public demands for accountability and a clean political system, setting the stage for reforms needed to enhance election integrity in the upcoming polls.
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