By Joy Mbachi
Presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has authorised University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and other academic institutions he attended to make public his certificates to anybody desiring to see them.
Obi gave the authorisation in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka on Tuesday by his media aide, Mr Valentine Obienyem.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the academic certificates obtained by the presidential candidate have, of recent, become a subject of legal scrutiny.
This is against the backdrop of the suit instituted by a Labour Party chieftain, Abayomi Arabambi, against UNN, praying the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the release of Obi’s academic records.
NAN reports that Arabambi is asking the court to compel the institution to provide certified true copies of records relating to a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy allegedly awarded to the former Anambra governor in 1984.
Obi, however, said in the statement that he was not afraid of public scrutiny of his academic records.
He argued that the country’s democratic process would further be emboldened if all public office seekers made public what they claimed to have as educational qualifications.
According to him, there is no objection to the request, as public scrutiny of academic credentials of public office seekers is a legitimate request, describing it as part of the beauty of democracy.
He said he had no objection to UNN making his academic certificates, records and other official documents available upon legitimate requests and within the limits permitted by law.
The NDC presidential candidate also gave his consent to other educational institutions he attended within and outside Nigeria to release his academic records in accordance with applicable laws and procedures.
He said that transparency and accountability were particularly important for individuals seeking public office, noting that public scrutiny should be fair, lawful and applied consistently to all presidential candidates.
“As a presidential candidate seeking the trust of Nigerians to lead our country, I welcome legitimate public interest in my background, qualifications and record,” he said.
Obi stated that anyone seeking the highest office in the country should be prepared to undergo reasonable scrutiny and demonstrate, through words and actions, that they had nothing to conceal from the people they were seeking to serve.
Obi also challenged other presidential candidates to make their educational qualifications and relevant records available for legitimate public scrutiny.
Such disclosure, he said, should be seen as an opportunity to strengthen public confidence, promote accountability and rebuild trust in political leadership.
The former governor maintained that leadership must reflect the values Nigerians expect in the society they seek to build, including transparency, integrity, accountability and respect for institutions.
“I therefore welcome the scrutiny of my academic background and remain committed to the principle that those who ask Nigerians for their trust must also be willing to earn that trust through openness and accountability,” he said.
(NAN)
