Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the academic credentials submitted by candidates seeking elective office to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
Obi made the call in a statement on Tuesday while reflecting
on questions contained in the nomination forms completed by candidates
contesting elections in the country.
The former Anambra governor said a section of the form,
which asks whether a candidate has ever presented a forged certificate to INEC,
raised broader questions about accountability and transparency in public
office.
“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,” Obi 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?”
Obi noted that making such documents publicly available
would enhance trust in the democratic process and reinforce the integrity of
those seeking public office.
“Transparency strengthens democracy and builds public
trust,” he said.
The NDC presidential candidate also used the statement to
question the priorities of Nigeria’s political leadership amid worsening
insecurity and economic hardship.
According to him, a question in the nomination form asking
whether a candidate had ever been adjudged a person of unsound mind prompted
reflection on the state of leadership in the country.
“Can we, as the political leaders of today’s Nigeria, truly
say we are exhibiting the characteristics of a sound mind?” Obi asked.
He said it was difficult to justify the intense focus on
politics at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with insecurity, poverty
and hunger.
“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?” Obi said.
He added that the country’s security and economic challenges
should be treated as a national emergency requiring urgent and coordinated
action.
“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,” Obi said.
“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.”
Obi urged leaders to focus on competence, character and
service, saying Nigeria’s challenges require a departure from “politics as
usual” and a renewed commitment to addressing the needs of citizens.
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