Bonanza for certificate forgers

2026-03-17 - 00:46

Nigeria’s democracy rests on a vital principle that those who seek public office must meet the basic legal and moral standards required of leadership. The recent surreptitious removal from the recently passed Electoral Act 2026, of certificate forgery as an actionable offence at the election petition tribunal by the National Assembly must be condemned in the strongest terms. Nigeria’s electoral framework had always allowed candidates’ eligibility for election into leadership positions to be challenged in court if it is discovered that they submitted forged academic or professional certificates. Such provisions are strong safeguards to protect the integrity of the electoral process. They ensure that individuals who deceive the public about their qualifications cannot legitimately hold public office. If allowed to stand, this will effectively shield candidates who falsify their credentials from legal consequences. It is grossly unacceptable that the law would be adjusted to shield criminals. Laws must be made to expose and punish crime, and not protect criminals. It may be an indicator that certificate forgers have taken over our National Legislature, just as they have been identified in other branches of government. This is seriously troubling! It undermines the principle of honesty in public service. Public office demands a level of integrity that inspires confidence among citizens. If the law no longer treats forged certificates as grounds for invalidating an election, it sends a dangerous message: that dishonesty is tolerable in the pursuit of power. What manner of government would that be? This amendment will erode public trust in democratic institutions. Elections are already contentious in Nigeria, and citizens often question whether the process truly reflects their will. Removing a key legal avenue for challenging fraudulent qualifications will deepen cynicism and reinforce the perception that political elites manipulate rules to protect themselves. It will confirm the perception that government in Nigeria is a “criminal enterprise”. The removal of this provision will damage Nigeria’s international reputation. Democratic credibility matters in the global arena. A country that appears willing to tolerate falsified credentials among its leaders risks undermining confidence among investors, partners and observers who expect leadership to possess certain basic moral and character credentials such as trustworthy academic qualifications. It is shocking that Nigerians did not get to know about this criminal conspiracy until after the president had signed it into law. We query the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, OAGF, for its failure to spot and correct this absurdity before it was signed into law. The lesson this teaches is that Nigerians must take the public hearings during the third readings of legislative bills more seriously to ensure that such criminal conspiracies are identified and timely addressed. Unless extraordinary emergency steps are taken to address this issue, we are in for a field day for certificate forgers.