Our Reporter, Abuja
Opposition leader and presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, on Friday delivered a scathing criticism of Nigerian lawmakers, accusing them of undermining democratic integrity with what he described as a “troubling contradiction” in the country’s evolving electoral legal framework.
Obi expressed concern that legislators who recently proposed stiff penalties for dual political party membership were at the same time seeking to remove certificate forgery, age falsification and false declarations as grounds for challenging election results at tribunals.
He said such a move directly contradicts provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) and raises serious questions about the priorities of Nigeria’s political leadership.
According to him, the proposed sanctions include a fine of up to ₦10 million and a two-year prison term for individuals found guilty of belonging to more than one political party.
Obi, however, said it was troubling that while lawmakers were focusing on punishing party alignment, they were simultaneously diluting consequences for more serious offences such as forgery and false documentation in the quest for public office.
He described the development as a dangerous signal for a country already battling credibility issues in its democratic process.
“In any serious democracy, the gravest offence in public life is deceiving the people to gain power,” Obi said.
“Submitting false documents, falsifying one’s age, forging certificates, and making dishonest declarations to electoral authorities are among the most serious offences anywhere in the world. Such actions should lead to automatic disqualification and criminal prosecution.”
Obi warned that weakening legal safeguards against electoral fraud could erode public confidence in the political system and further damage Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
He argued that a political system that prioritises punishment for party affiliation while ignoring deceit in candidate credentials risks legitimising dishonesty in governance.
“There is no justification for prioritising punishment for party alignment over punishing false certificates, forgery and other forms of deception in the pursuit of public office,” he said.
The former governor of Anambra State maintained that laws should serve to strengthen democratic values rather than protect political interests.
He stressed that Nigeria’s progress depends largely on the character and credibility of those entrusted with leadership.
“A nation cannot rise above the integrity of its leaders,” Obi added, urging lawmakers to ensure that the country’s legal framework defends truth, competence and accountability.
