24/08/2026
*The Frustration of Sincerity Under the Present Administration*
It is no longer news that Nigerians are growing weary. Not just of hardship, but of a deeper problem: the deliberate frustration of sincerity, accountability, and integrity in governance.
Under the current APC-led administration, one gets the disturbing sense that every institution, every law, and every process that should protect the common citizen is being systematically weakened. Instead of strengthening democracy, we are watching it being hollowed out from within — quietly, through technical clauses, through legal re-interpretations, and through policies that reward impunity.
Take the recent Electoral Act 2026* as an example. On the surface, it was sold as “reform.” But buried in Section 138 is a provision that narrows the grounds for challenging an election to just two: corrupt practices, and whether the winner got the majority of lawful votes.
What does that mean in plain language? It means that issues as fundamental as *certificate forgery* — presenting fake academic credentials to INEC — can no longer be used after an election to challenge a candidate’s qualification. Critics are right to ask: what message does this send? That you can lie your way onto the ballot, and once you’re declared a winner, the lie no longer matters?
This is not reform. This is a retreat.
1. *It rewards dishonesty*
For decades, young Nigerians have been told: “Go to school. Get your certificate. Do things the right way.” But when the law is amended to make it harder to punish those who present forged papers, what incentive is left? We are telling an entire generation that sincerity is for fools, and shortcuts are for those in power.
2. *It weakens judicial scrutiny*
Our courts have, in the past, nullified elections over forged certificates. The 2020 Bayelsa case is still fresh. Now, with penalties of ₦5m for lawyers and ₦10m for petitioners who bring “unlisted” grounds, we are essentially putting a price tag on justice. Only the rich and connected will dare to challenge.
3. *It conflicts with the Constitution*
Sections 137, 182 of the 1999 Constitution still say a person who presents a forged certificate shall not be qualified. How then can an Act of Parliament remove what the Constitution explicitly forbids? This is why lawyers have gone to court to ask for Section 138 to be voided. The contradiction is glaring.
4. *It erodes public trust*
Democracy does not survive on voting alone. It survives on the belief that the process is fair, and that if you cheat, you will be caught. When we remove post-election scrutiny for forgery, we are telling citizens: “Don’t bother checking after the fact. By then it’s too late.” That breeds apathy, and apathy kills democracy.
This is the pattern we’ve seen across other sectors too: policies that look good on paper but, in practice, close the space for accountability. From security to the economy to electoral law, sincerity is treated like an obstacle, not a virtue.
A government that is truly committed to the people would be expanding avenues for scrutiny, not shrinking them. It would be saying: “If you lied to get here, you have no business staying here.” Instead, we are moving in the opposite direction.
Nigeria deserves better. Our democracy deserves better. The young man or woman who spent years in school, who refused to cut corners, deserves a system that protects that sacrifice — not one that makes it look meaningless.
Until we demand that sincerity be protected by law, not punished by it, we will continue to produce leaders who see public office as a prize to be grabbed by any means, rather than a responsibility to be earned.