Peter Obi Warns Certificate Forgery Could Entrench Crime in Nigeria, Urges INEC and FG to Act Before 2027 Elections

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has cautioned that certificate forgery among public officials could normalize criminality and further erode moral values in Nigeria. His warning follows reports that the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, admitted he never obtained a university degree despite possessing a Bachelor of Science certificate purportedly from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

In a statement issued on Monday, Obi urged decisive and systemic action, including the prosecution of any public official found guilty of certificate fraud.

The controversy stems from an investigative report revealing that UNN disowned the degree certificate held by Nnaji, confirming that he neither completed his studies nor received any certificate from the institution. The report also cited court documents filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, where Nnaji reportedly acknowledged that the certificate was not issued by the university.

Nnaji had sued the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the University of Nigeria, its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, the Registrar, and other university officials over the matter.

Obi lamented that those entrusted with leadership have instead become examples of corruption and dishonesty, warning that such conduct by public figures undermines the nation’s moral foundations. He compared Nigeria’s lenient handling of certificate fraud to Indonesia, where false academic claims attract immediate disqualification and prosecution.

“But in my country Nigeria, even though our laws prescribe the same punishment for forgery, INEC fails to properly vet certificates before elections,” Obi said. “Complaints of forgery are often ignored, and when raised after elections, the courts dismiss them as ‘pre-election matters,’ leaving serious criminal acts unpunished.”

He further decried how individuals with questionable credentials bypass multiple layers of scrutiny—from security agencies to the legislature and the executive—sometimes even swearing false affidavits in court to validate forged documents.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Obi proposed that all candidates submit their academic certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately after party primaries to allow for thorough verification.

He suggested that:

Certificates, school details, and study timelines should be made public for a 90-day verification period.

The same rules should apply to appointed officials, including ministers and aides.


“We must end the era where forgery and deceit are rewarded with power,” Obi stressed. “Criminal offences should never be treated as procedural matters. True leadership begins with truth.”