Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that tolerating unverified academic credentials among public officials could erode societal standards and undermine the nation’s future.

In a tweet on his X handle on Tuesday, Obi stressed that the issue goes beyond any individual and should be viewed as a matter of accountability, integrity, and the values being passed on to future generations.

According to him, Nigerians must resist the temptation to overlook questionable, missing, or unverified credentials simply because they involve political allies or preferred leaders.

Obi argued that the process through which individuals attain positions of responsibility is just as important as their performance in office, noting that leadership must be built on transparency and adherence to established standards.

He said that “normalising the abandonment of basic credential verification could create a dangerous precedent, where unqualified individuals occupy critical professional and public offices”.

The former Anambra State governor warned that such a trend could ultimately weaken institutions and diminish public trust in professions that require rigorous training and certification.

Obi further stated that Nigeria must not sacrifice its future for short-term political interests, insisting that truth, accountability, and due process should apply equally to all citizens regardless of status or political affiliation.

He urged Nigerians to defend principles over sentiments and place the country’s long-term development above political expediency.

Obi maintained that achieving a better Nigeria would require citizens and leaders alike to uphold the right values, even when doing so is difficult or inconvenient.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Osun State, Najeem Salaam, has expressed confidence ahead of Saturday’s election, saying voters will support him because of his commitment to ending political violence and restoring peace across the state.

Speaking during a Town Hall programme on Arise News, Salaam said many residents were weary of political thuggery and were looking for a leadership that could guarantee stability and security.

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has urged religious leaders across Nigeria to promote peace and reconciliation rather than hatred and division.

Yilwatda made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while speaking at an International Conference on National Security for Socio-economic Development organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bidiah wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), in partnership with the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia.

He said Nigeria’s religious, ethnic and cultural diversity should be seen as a strength rather than a reason for conflict.

Yilwatda said his personal experience had shaped his belief that people of different faiths could live together peacefully.

“I came here to this conversation not as a new person to diversity. I’ve experienced the painful part of diversity, and I’ve experienced the beautiful part of the same diversity,” he said.

He recalled growing up in a community where his father, a pastor, had a close relationship with the local chief imam. He said the two families visited each other regularly and celebrated religious festivals together despite their different faiths.

According to him, such relationships showed that religious differences should not create “human distances and separation”.

Yilwatda also spoke about the violence his family experienced after his father was transferred to Bauchi in 1991. He said their home and neighbourhood were burnt during the crisis, forcing both Christians and Muslims to seek safety in military barracks.

The APC chairman said he later spent about three months in an internally displaced persons’ camp, where he witnessed how violence affected people regardless of their religion.

He warned that Nigeria continues to face threats such as terrorism, banditry, communal violence, ethnic tensions, religious intolerance and hate speech.

Yilwatda also criticised politicians who exploit religious and ethnic sentiments for political advantage.

“We weaponise religion. We weaponise division for political advantage. Temporary advantage, but it leaves permanent damage in our lives,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to ensure that their religious beliefs encourage respect for the dignity and freedom of people from other faiths.

The APC chairman also called on religious leaders to make mosques and churches centres of peace, reconciliation and responsible citizenship.

“Let us preach truth without hatred, conviction without contempt, and truth without incitement. We can preach truth without inciting people. That is the hallmark of teaching as a religious leader,” he said.

Yilwatda said Nigeria should work towards a society where Christians and Muslims protect one another and defend the dignity of every citizen, regardless of religious or ethnic differences.