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Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised alarm over what he described as the normalisation of criminality in Nigeria’s political system, warning that the country risks total moral collapse if it continues to reward dishonesty and forgery with leadership positions.

In a strongly worded statement on X (formerly Twitter) titled “The Danger of Making Crime a Norm,” Obi said Nigeria has become a “crime scene” where those entrusted with leadership, who should embody integrity and character, have instead become the worst examples of corruption and deceit.

“How do you tell young Nigerians to be honest and upright when those they are supposed to emulate are the least to be emulated because they are criminals and dishonest?” Obi asked.

He particularly condemned the growing cases of certificate forgery among public officials, describing it as one of the most grievous forms of corruption worldwide — and one that should attract immediate disqualification and prosecution.

Obi contrasted Nigeria’s lax attitude to forgery with practices in other countries, citing his visit to Indonesia earlier this year. There, he said, the chairman of the General Elections Commission told him that any candidate found to have forged certificates would be instantly disqualified and prosecuted, as such an act destroys public trust.

“If someone can forge a certificate, how can that person be trusted to lead others?” the Indonesian official asked, according to Obi.

However, Obi lamented that in Nigeria, despite similar legal provisions, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) routinely fails to vet certificates before elections, ignores complaints of forgery, and even after elections, refuses to investigate such offences.

“When you challenge certificate forgery after elections, the courts dismiss these serious criminal issues as ‘pre-election matters’ without giving them the punishment they deserve,” Obi noted.

He further questioned how dishonest individuals consistently pass through layers of security screening, legislative confirmation, and other vetting processes, suggesting deep institutional complicity. Even more troubling, Obi said, many of these individuals swear affidavits in court attesting to the authenticity of their forged documents.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, Obi urged INEC to revisit past forgery complaints and called for urgent electoral reforms to prevent fraudulent candidates from slipping through the cracks.

“Our electoral laws must require all candidates, incumbents or new, to submit their academic certificates immediately after party primaries, at least six months before elections. These should be made public for verification within 90 days,” he proposed.

He added that the same level of scrutiny should also apply to appointed officials, ministers, and aides, arguing that dishonesty at the top trickles down through all levels of governance.

Obi stressed that forgery must no longer be treated as a procedural matter but as a serious crime that undermines the foundations of democracy.

“We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power. True leadership must begin with truth,” he declared.

Reiterating his vision for the country, Obi concluded, “A new Nigeria is possible” — but only if the nation confronts corruption head-on and restores integrity as the foundation of public service.