Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that widespread certificate forgery among public officials risks normalising crime in Nigeria.
Obi, in a statement on Monday, called for immediate systemic reforms and the prosecution of any government official found guilty of falsifying academic records.
Naijaonpoint reports that the warning followed revelations that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, had disowned a Bachelor of Science degree presented by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji. The institution said Nnaji never completed his studies and was never issued a certificate.
Court documents quoted in the investigative report further indicated that Nnaji himself admitted that UNN did not issue him a degree.
Obi said it was tragic that public officials expected to set examples for integrity had instead become the source of the nation’s moral collapse.
He said, “Those who are supposed to be exemplary have become the very source of the nation’s decay. When dishonest behaviour is modelled by public officials, it corrodes the moral standards available to young Nigerians.”
He contrasted Nigeria’s lax approach with other countries. The former governor said, “In Indonesia, forged or falsely claimed qualifications attract immediate disqualification and prosecution. But in my country Nigeria, though the laws are the same, INEC makes no effort to scrutinise certificates before elections, overlooks complaints of forgery, and when you challenge after elections, the court dismisses the matter as ‘pre-election’ without giving it the criminal weight it deserves.”
The former Anambra governor accused electoral and government institutions of failing to stop dishonest officials.
Obi further stated, “Even after elections, INEC does not bother to revisit or investigate these serious offences. The most disturbing part, amounting to a double tragedy, is that most of these dishonest people swore affidavits before law courts attesting to the authenticity of documents they knew were forged.”
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Obi urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to institute strict verification of candidates’ qualifications.
“Anyone intending to contest for any public office, whether incumbent or new, must submit all academic certificates to INEC immediately after party primaries, at least six months before the election. These certificates, alongside details of schools attended, what was studied and years of study, should be made public for verification within 90 days,” he said.
He added that the rule should also cover ministers and presidential aides. He said, “When dishonesty starts from the top, it spreads to every level of governance, just like it’s happening now.”
Obi insisted that forgery must be treated as a crime, not a mere procedural issue.
“Criminal offences should not be dismissed as a mere procedural matter. We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth,” he stated.
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