The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publicly publish the academic certificates and credentials submitted by every candidate seeking elective office.
The former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections argued that greater transparency would strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Obi made the call in a statement he issued on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, titled “What Truly Should Be Our Priority Now as Leaders of a Nation?”, in which he questioned whether Nigeria’s political leaders were demonstrating the qualities of responsible leadership amid worsening insecurity, hunger and allegations of public sector corruption.
According to him, the reflection was prompted while completing his INEC nomination form on Monday.
“This question has become necessary, given where we are today as a nation and where we are supposed to be,” Obi said.
“While completing my INEC nomination form yesterday, Section E, Question 1 caught my attention. It asks: ‘Have you ever been adjudged a lunatic or been declared a person of unsound mind?’ The answer is either Yes or No.
“That question got me thinking: Can we, as the political leaders of today’s Nigeria, truly say we are exhibiting the characteristics of a sound mind?”
The former Anambra State governor lamented Nigeria’s worsening security and economic challenges, saying political leaders should be focused on addressing the nation’s pressing crises instead of prioritising political contests.
According to Obi, “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?
“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.
“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.”
He also drew attention to another question on the INEC nomination form concerning forged certificates, saying it underscored the need for greater openness in the electoral process.
“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,” he 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?
“Transparency strengthens democracy and builds public trust. Nigeria’s problems are too serious for politics as usual.
“It is time for leadership defined by competence, character, capacity, compassion, and commitment to service.”
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