Labour Party presidential candidate for the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has reacted to the controversy over his academic qualification after INEC released names of candidates and their qualifications without his university degree.
He spoke through his media aide, Valentine Obienyem and faulted criticisms trailing his failure to present his degree results to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, Obienyem said the possession of paper qualifications was not, and cannot become the measure of wisdom and intelligence.
He said those doubting Obi’s credentials and qualifications are mischief makers trying to create unnecessary issues in the polity.
He explained that Obi remains the most probed and searched Nigerian at the moment, adding that mischief makers wish they could detect faults in him.
In the statement, Valentine also attached Obi’s credentials and results, saying it is to clear all doubts among the good people of Nigeria.
He also added that having attempted to publish the results without Obi’s approval, he had to seek approval from Mr. Oseloka Obaze, who is another senior aide of the politician before going public with the results.
The statement read in part, “It would have just required publishing Mr. Peter Obi’s degree result to stop the perennial debate about the class of degree he came out with.
“Each time I mentioned it to him, Obi would restrain me from publishing. His stand is clear: ‘Val, to me, education is the progressive discovery of our ignorance. We learn every day. The possession of paper qualification is not, and cannot become the measure of wisdom and intelligence.
“When people debate what I graduated with, ignore them. To allow yourself to become fixated on such inane discourse is to imply that you do not have better things to do.
“But I have always had a different view. Simple publication, not for the sake of debate, but to clear all doubts, especially among those that are deceived.
“Yesterday, though INEC included ‘Degree’ to his qualifications, without specifying the field, mischief makers went to town. Some of them even went to the extent of implying that either he did not attend university after all or he did not graduate.
“He remains the most probed and searched Nigerian. They wish they could detect faults in him as a mark of respect for the frailty of human nature.
“At this point, there is no need to confer with him. I had to reach our boss immediately, Mr Oseloka Obaze. Hear him: ‘Val, go on and publish. If anything arises, tell him that I authoriseed. We need not appease mischief makers, but to clear all doubts among all men and women of goodwill who are genuinely concerned.”
“Also attached are his credentials as published by INEC. Having published the result, let others whose credentials are doubted publish theirs,” he stated.