Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged other contenders for the 2027 presidency to make their academic records available for lawful public scrutiny.
Obi said candidates seeking the trust of Nigerians should be prepared to subject their educational qualifications and records to the level of scrutiny expected of those seeking the country’s highest political office.
The former Anambra State governor spoke against the backdrop of legal proceedings seeking Certified True Copies of his academic records from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1984.
Obi said he had no objection to UNN releasing his certificates, admission records and other academic documents where such requests comply with the law.
“I have absolutely no objection to the legitimate release of these records,” he said, urging the university to make them available whenever a lawful request is made.
He also extended the position to other institutions he attended in Nigeria and abroad, saying he was ready for legitimate scrutiny of his credentials.
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Public Scrutiny Strengthens Confidence
Obi stressed that public scrutiny should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen confidence in political leaders rather than as an attack or inconvenience.
“As a presidential candidate seeking the trust of Nigerians, I welcome legitimate scrutiny of my educational background, qualifications and public record,” he said.
However, he stressed that such scrutiny must be lawful, fair and applied equally to all presidential candidates.
“The same standard of transparency should apply to every presidential candidate, without exception,” he said.
Obi Disputes Anambra Debt Claims
The NDC presidential candidate also rejected claims by the Anambra State Government that his administration left behind various financial obligations.
The claims include a N2 billion ecological loan, liabilities to contractors and unpaid salaries, gratuities and pensions.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Obi described the allegations as “completely false.”
He said his administration cleared more than N35 billion in historical gratuities and arrears before leaving office and handed over the state without outstanding obligations relating to salaries, pensions or gratuities.
“At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified,” Obi said.
His response followed comments by the Anambra State Government that the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo was still servicing loans inherited from previous administrations, including those of Obi and former governor Willie Obiano.
The state Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, said the Soludo administration had not obtained any commercial bank loan since taking office but had continued to repay inherited debts.
Okafor said deductions were being made from the state’s Federation Account Allocation Committee funds to service loans obtained by previous administrations.
He also said the state had reduced its debt burden by more than 83 per cent.
Obi, however, disputed the claim concerning the N2 billion ecological fund.
He explained that the money was released shortly before he left office to address the erosion crisis affecting Oko and Umuchiana.
The dispute over the state’s inherited debts comes as Obi and other political figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.