The controversy over Sanni Ogembe’s failure to secure APC clearance has moved beyond academic credentials. It now raises deeper questions about credibility, political loyalty, and whether Nigerians are ready to end the recycling of questionable leadership standards in public office.
For weeks, supporters have advanced a narrow defense: “He has a WAEC result.” But many Nigerians are asking a different question: why is there such desperation to defend a single point while avoiding broader concerns about his political conduct and qualifications?
This is where the conversation must shift.
Nigeria can no longer afford to place individuals with unresolved documentation issues, contested academic backgrounds, and divided political loyalties into positions of influence.
The country has paid too high a price for leadership built on manipulation, propaganda, and entitlement rather than merit and transparency.
The APC screening process exists for a reason. Political parties are expected to assess:
- Credibility and character
- Academic records and documentation
- Party loyalty and disciplinary history
- Political alignment and consistency
No responsible party should dismiss red flags simply because a vocal online base is pushing a single narrative.
A central concern is political loyalty. Ogembe only recently came from PDP structures, and many APC members question where his true allegiance lies. You cannot spend years in one political family and expect to be accepted as a committed APC loyalist overnight without scrutiny.
Equally concerning are reports of his continued closeness to ADC interests through family and political ties. Nigerians are right to ask whether the APC should hand influence to someone whose political network appears split across rival platforms. Politics is built on trust, not convenience.
This is why screening matters. If a candidate is genuinely committed to the APC, there should be no ambiguity about their political standing. There should be no mixed signals, conflicting loyalties, or strategic alliances outside the party while demanding trust within it.
What many now see is an attempt to reduce the issue to emotion and sympathy, in order to distract from substantive concerns. The public has flagged three areas that demand clarity:
- Documentation and credentials: Allegations of fake or incomplete academic records must be resolved through verifiable evidence.
- Dual party loyalty: Holding membership or maintaining active ties with more than one party undermines party discipline and can disqualify a candidate.
- Anti-party conduct: Working against APC interests or supporting rival parties, even informally, erodes trust.
Public confidence is also at stake. Nigerians are more informed and less willing to accept the old pattern where perception management replaces accountability.
By withholding clearance, the APC is sending a clear message: political access is not automatic, and public office should not serve as a refuge for unresolved questions or divided loyalties.
Those attacking the party for being cautious are missing the point. Screening exists to protect the integrity of the party and the confidence of voters. At a time when Nigerians are demanding competence, transparency, and accountability, the APC cannot lower its standards to accommodate political pressure.
The era of excusing leadership deficits with “he’s just one of us” should be over. Leadership must be earned through a verifiable record, consistent loyalty, and public trust — not manufactured through online noise.
– Abubakar Sadiq Writes from Lokoja.
