National Democratic Congress, NDC, Presidential Candidate, in the 2027 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has raised concerns over what he described as the unresolved questions surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s past, particularly records relating to his educational credentials.
In a statement, Obi said his loyalty to Nigeria remained unwavering, but expressed disappointment over what he described as the country’s direction and the handling of questions concerning the President’s past.
“As a citizen of no other country, who has never sought foreign citizenship even when doing so became fashionable, my loyalty to Nigeria and my faith in her destiny remain unshaken,” he said.
He said he had prayed for Nigeria and its leaders, adding that he was “deeply saddened by the direction in which our country is heading.”
He said: “It is profoundly embarrassing that we have reached a point where a sitting President is asking a foreign court to withhold records concerning his past, particularly records relating to matters of legitimate public interest.”
According to him, leadership requires openness and the willingness to confront questions about one’s past.
“Leadership, in my humble view, demands the courage and humility to confront one’s history, to acknowledge mistakes, provide candid explanations where questions arise, and, where necessary, apologise and seek forgiveness. True authority is strengthened, not diminished, when a leader accepts responsibility rather than seeks to shield uncomfortable aspects of the past from legitimate scrutiny.”
Obi said the issue was particularly significant when it involved educational credentials.
“This becomes particularly important when questions concern educational credentials. Issues surrounding foundational schooling, primary and secondary, should not remain unresolved or be addressed primarily through legal proceedings. Nigerians deserve clear, credible, and verifiable explanations, especially when such had been submitted in the past.”
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He expressed concern about the example such controversies could set for young Nigerians, particularly students.
“My deepest concern is the example this sets for more than 200 million Nigerians, particularly the over 30 million young people in schools. The nation’s highest office should exemplify integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical leadership.”
Obi argued that questions about a leader’s past should not necessarily be viewed as an attempt to destroy his reputation, saying that acknowledging imperfections could strengthen public confidence.
“An imperfect past is part of the human condition. What matters is the willingness to confront it with humility, honesty and deep apology, to make amends where necessary and, when circumstances so demand, to place the interests of the nation above personal ambition.”
He questioned the priorities of Nigeria’s political leadership, stressing that political positions were temporary while the country and its institutions endured.
“When will our political class fully appreciate that individual ambitions are temporary, while the nation endures? The Presidency is an office held for a season; the moral standards established by those who occupy it can influence generations.”
He concluded by placing the interests of the country above those of any individual.
“Nigeria is greater than any one person, and the integrity of the Republic must always come before the interests of the individual,” adding, “A New Nigeria is possible.”
