VIDEO: Obi faults religious leaders for praying for ‘criminal politicians’

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress in the 2027 election, has strongly criticized religious leaders for offering blessings to politicians he described as criminals. Obi stated that this practice, alongside issues within the judiciary and electoral system, signifies a crisis facing Nigeria.

“

Our religious leaders are now praying for criminal politicians for blessings. We have a crisis. And above all, our judges are now singing on your mandate.

Speaking at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, Obi expressed concern over what he sees as declining standards in the country. "Our religious leaders are now praying for criminal politicians for blessings. We have a crisis. And above all, our judges are now singing on your mandate," he remarked.

“

I was in court for three years challenging my election; five judges that I never met for one day gave judgment in my favour. It cannot happen in Nigeria of today.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, also shared his experience of spending three years in court challenging his election defeat. He noted that five judges he had never met delivered judgments in his favor, suggesting such impartiality is rare in Nigeria today. He further criticized the alleged weakening of electoral safeguards, pointing to the removal of forgery as an offense in electoral matters. Obi warned that the consequences of these current abuses would inevitably affect future generations, urging a reversal of these trends.

“

We need to reverse this because the abuse we are allowing today will take its revenge on our children.