Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has declared that he has nothing to hide, challenging anyone to make public any official records relating to him, including his academic documents and files that may exist in foreign countries.
Obi made the statement during an interview on 90 Minutes Africa while responding to questions about claims by Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, that presidential candidates in Nigeria have FBI files.
The former Anambra State governor said he was unaware of having any file with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), adding that he had never dealt with the agency.
“I don’t know. I’ve never met the FBI,” he said.
Obi said he was prepared to subject himself to complete public scrutiny, arguing that individuals seeking public office should be willing to account for their records and actions.
He specifically called on the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to release all documents contained in his academic file, including details of his admission and academic performance throughout his university education.
“I’m begging the University of Nigeria to make available every document in my file, how I was admitted and all my results from year one to final year,” he said.
Obi extended the call to institutions where he attended executive education programmes, including Lagos Business School, the London School of Economics, Columbia Business School, Kellogg Business School, Harvard Business School, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD and IMD.
According to the NDC candidate, transparency should be a fundamental requirement for anyone seeking to occupy public office, stressing that leaders should be prepared to have their records examined by the public.
“If you seek public life, you should subject yourself to public scrutiny because you are a leader and you must exemplify the values that make society work,” he said.
Obi also challenged other presidential candidates to adopt a similar approach and make their records available for public examination.
He maintained that where a public figure has made mistakes in the past, the individual should be willing to acknowledge and explain them to Nigerians rather than conceal them.
