By Kingston Magare 31.8.2026
President Bola Tinubu has been urged to open up to his past mistakes, rather than fight tooth and nail to prevent Nigerians from known what their leader did in past.
Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election Peter Obi made the call against the background of Tinubu’s push to prevent a US court from releasing details of his drugs investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations in his narcotic trade involvement while living in the USA.
Obi said in a statement on Monday that refusing to allow the records to be made public was embarrassing to the country.
“It is profoundly embarrassing that we have reached a point where a sitting President is asking a foreign court to withhold records concerning his past, particularly records relating to matters of legitimate public interest.
“Leadership, in my humble view, demands the courage and humility to confront one’s history — to acknowledge mistakes, provide candid explanations where questions arise, and, where necessary, apologise and seek forgiveness. True authority is strengthened, not diminished, when a leader accepts responsibility rather than seeks to shield uncomfortable aspects of the past from legitimate scrutiny.”
Obi added that Tinubu also needs to shed more light on his controversial educational background.
“This becomes particularly important when questions concern educational credentials. Issues surrounding foundational schooling — primary and secondary — should not remain unresolved or be addressed primarily through legal proceedings. Nigerians deserve clear, credible, and verifiable explanations, especially when such had been submitted in the past,” Mr Obi said.
“My deepest concern is the example this sets for more than 200 million Nigerians, particularly the over 30 million young people in schools. The nation’s highest office should exemplify integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical leadership,” he added.
