Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria is facing a troubling contradiction.
Obi said this in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Friday, wondering the type of country leaders are trying to bequeath for the generation yet unborn.
He was reacting to the removal of certificate forgery, age falsification, and false declarations by the National Assembly as grounds for challenging an election in a tribunal.
The former Anambra State governor described the move as direct contradiction to the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria (1999, as amended).
According to him, a nation cannot rise above the integrity of its leaders, noting that if Nigerians truly want a better country, the laws must defend truth, character, competence, and accountability.
“Nigeria is facing a troubling contradiction. The same lawmakers who have proposed a fine of ₦10 million and up to two years in prison for dual political party membership have simultaneously removed certificate forgery, age falsification, and false declarations as grounds for challenging an election in a tribunal.
“This situation raises a fundamental question about the priorities of our political system. We cannot continue to tolerate criminal behavior.
“In any serious democracy, the gravest offense in public life is deceiving the people to gain power. Submitting false documents, falsifying one’s age, forging certificates, and making dishonest declarations to electoral authorities are among the most serious offenses in any democracy.
“Such actions not only lead to automatic disqualification but also warrant criminal prosecution. Yet today, our electoral system seems more focused on protecting political structures than on upholding the truth.
“There is no justification for prioritizing punishment for party alignment over punishing false certificates, forgery, and other forms of deception in the pursuit of public office.
“Laws should strengthen democracy, not weaken it. They should promote ethical leadership rather than lower standards for those who aspire to govern,” he wrote.
