Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the last election, emphasized that Indonesia’s electoral system does not permit forged primary, secondary, or university records for presidential candidates.
Obi, along with Atiku Abubakar, who closely contested President Bola Tinubu in the recent controversial election, claimed victory, citing electoral irregularities and academic fraud by Tinubu.
Despite verifiable allegations of perjury, forgery, and narcotics trafficking, Nigeria’s Supreme Court upheld Tinubu’s victory. Obi, who recently toured Indonesia, highlighted the need for electoral transparency and candidate qualification. “To contest in Indonesia’s presidential elections, a candidate must provide verifiable records of primary, secondary, and at least a university degree,” said Obi.
The former Governor of Anambra State stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to reform its electoral system, strengthen institutions, and restore public trust in the process. During a discussion with Indonesia’s General Elections Commission chairman and secretary-general, Bernard Dermawan Sutrisno, Obi noted the stark contrast between Indonesia’s electoral process and Nigeria’s.
One of the greatest obstacles to credible democracy and good governance in Nigeria, according to Obi, is the lack of credible elections, stemming from weak electoral institutions and a disregard for the rule of law. Obi pointed out that Indonesia’s national elections consistently record over 70% voter participation, with the most recent election in 2024 reaching 81%. In contrast, Nigeria, with 94 million registered voters, had an abysmal turnout of less than 25%, a direct consequence of growing distrust in the electoral process.
In 2023, Abubakar approached a U.S. court to compel Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records, which had been shrouded in secrecy for decades. Despite the American university releasing the records, Nigeria’s Supreme Court dismissed the case, reaffirming Tinubu’s victory on the grounds that it could not accept new evidence.
