2027: Obi demands public display of candidates’ credentials

By Jude Opara

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming 2027 elections, has challenged Nigerian political leaders to shift their focus from partisan politics toward the nation’s severe security and economic crises.
Obi’s comments came on Tuesday via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, just a day after he completed his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination forms and confirmed his name was successfully updated on the commission’s server.
The former governor of Anambra State revealed that specific questions on the INEC inquiry form prompted him to question the current state of governance in Nigeria.
Reflecting on a question asking candidates if they have ever been declared of “unsound mind,” Obi questioned whether Nigeria’s current political class is acting rationally given the country’s realities.
He said: “Can we, as the political leaders of today’s Nigeria, truly say we are exhibiting characteristics of a sound mind?.
“When our children are being abducted into the bushes, when citizens cannot travel safely on our highways, and when several million Nigerians are uncertain where their next meal will come from… should politics really be our primary preoccupation?”
He argued that leaders acting with a “sound mind” would put aside political maneuvering to hold emergency, cross-party meetings aimed at tackling the country’s existential threats.
Obi also highlighted another section of the form regarding the submission of forged certificates.
He urged INEC to bolster public trust by directly publishing the academic credentials of all political candidates.
“Transparency strengthens democracy and builds public trust,” Obi stated, adding that Nigeria’s deep-seated problems require a complete departure from “politics as usual.”
He concluded by calling for a new era of leadership driven by competence, character, compassion, and a genuine commitment to public service.