|
Listen to article
|
Peter Obi has criticised recent changes in Nigeria’s electoral laws, warning that they undermine accountability and ethical leadership in the country.
In a post on his verified X handle on Friday, Obi highlighted what he described as a troubling contradiction in the political system.
He noted that while lawmakers have proposed fines of N10 million and up to two years in prison for dual political party membership, they have simultaneously removed certificate forgery, age falsification, and false declarations as grounds for challenging an election in a tribunal.
Read Also: PDP Is Dead – Akpabio Mocks Opposition Parties As Senators Defect
“This is in direct contradiction to the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria (1999, as amended),” Obi said.
He questioned the priorities of the political system: “In any serious democracy, the gravest offense in public life is deceiving the people to gain power. Submitting false documents, falsifying one’s age, forging certificates, and making dishonest declarations to electoral authorities are among the most serious offenses in any democracy. Such actions not only lead to automatic disqualification but also warrant criminal prosecution.”
Obi emphasised that the current system seems more focused on protecting political structures than upholding truth.
“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.
He further stated, “Laws should strengthen democracy, not weaken it. They should promote ethical leadership rather than lower standards for those who aspire to govern. A nation cannot rise above the integrity of its leaders. If we truly want a better Nigeria, our laws must defend truth, character, competence, and accountability. We cannot continue to tolerate criminal behavior.”
Obi concluded by revealing that, “A New Nigeria is possible.”
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has sparked reactions on social media after he mocked the disarray within opposition parties on the floor of the Senate during plenary.
Akpabio’s comments came while he was reading an official defection letter from the former Governor of Sokoto State and current Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, confirming his move to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The letter also highlighted a series of resignations from the Labour Party, LP and other minority caucus members.
Read Also: God Has Ordained Me To Be Nigeria’s President – Tinubu
As he read, Akpabio paused, visibly amused by the state of the opposition, and made light of their internal struggles, saying, “Oh, PDP is gone!”
He added, “Even the Labour Party is dead. I’ve read about three different political parties now,” as he recounted further defections from the LP.
Akpabio seized the opportunity to dismiss claims that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was behind the opposition’s troubles.
He attributed the turmoil to leadership failures within the parties themselves.
“You cannot accuse the ruling party of tampering with their leadership because here you have APGA, you have Labour, you have MVP, and all those things. So all of them have a problem. They’ve not been able to put their parties together. So, APC cannot be blamed for this. They are all out to ensure that we have a minority status in this chamber, and I am very proud of them,” Akpabio said.
President Bola Tinubu has stated that his emergence as Nigeria’s president was part of a divine plan.
Tinubu made the declaration while reiterating his commitment to good governance, adherence to the rule of law, and the preservation of democratic values in the country.
The president spoke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during an interfaith iftar where he hosted members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside leaders of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
