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2027: LP Chieftain Sues WAEC, UNN, NYSC Over Peter Obi’s Credentials

Published

3 weeks ago

September 13, 2026

2027: LP Chieftain Sues WAEC, UNN, NYSC Over Peter Obi’s Credentials

ABUJA — The academic and National Youth Service Corps records of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, have come under fresh scrutiny following three separate suits filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The suits, instituted by Abayomi Arabambi, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), seek orders of mandamus compelling the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to release official records relating to certificates allegedly issued to Obi.

The legal actions are based on provisions of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011, with Arabambi alleging that the institutions failed to provide information he requested concerning the academic credentials and NYSC records of the former Anambra State governor.

The three cases were filed separately.

The suit against WAEC, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2064/2026, and the action against NYSC, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2063/2026, were filed on September 1, 2026.

The separate suit against UNN, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, was filed on September 9, 2026.

Arabambi filed the cases through his legal team led by Anderson Asemota.

However, the plaintiff has stressed that he is not asking the Federal High Court to determine whether the certificates associated with Obi are genuine or forged.

Instead, he is asking the court to compel the institutions to disclose their existing official records so that the status and particulars of the certificates can be established from the records of the organisations that allegedly issued or processed them.

The distinction is significant because the suits, as presently constituted, do not amount to a judicial finding that Peter Obi’s certificates are forged, invalid or fraudulent.

In the WAEC case, Arabambi is asking the court to compel the examination body to release a Certified True Copy (CTC) of WAEC Certificate No. SC042560, which the plaintiff says was issued to “Obi Gregory Onwubuase” in June 1978.

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He is also seeking information that would enable him to establish the circumstances surrounding the certificate and its details.

Arabambi said he had previously written to WAEC requesting the information under the Freedom of Information Act, but the examination body declined the request.

WAEC reportedly communicated its refusal in a letter dated August 11, 2026, citing Sections 14(1)(a) and 14(2)(a) and (b) of the FOI Act.

The plaintiff is challenging the refusal and wants the court to declare that the grounds relied upon by WAEC were not sufficient to deny him access to the requested information.

The suit against University of Nigeria, Nsukka focuses on Certificate No. D000198, which Arabambi says relates to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy allegedly awarded to Obi.

He is asking the university to release its certificate register, academic records, graduation records, Senate or degree-award records, as well as other existing official documents relevant to the certificate, insofar as such records exist.

The plaintiff said his request was intended to establish what the university’s own records show concerning the certificate rather than to ask the court to pronounce on its authenticity.

He is specifically seeking an order compelling UNN to communicate the result of any verification of Certificate No. D000198 based on its existing official records, including whether the certificate and its particulars appear in those records.

According to the court processes, Arabambi had earlier written to the university under the FOI Act but alleged that the request was not granted.

A subsequent reminder was also reportedly sent after the initial request did not receive the response he expected.

The third suit concerns NYSC Certificate No. 203495, which Arabambi says was issued on May 1, 1986, to “Obi, Gregory Peter-Onwubuase (Mr.).”

The plaintiff wants the NYSC to release the relevant certificate and any existing official records, documents or other materials upon which the certificate was based or issued.

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He is also seeking information about the appearance of the name “Peter-Onwubuase” in the relevant NYSC records.

The request is intended, among other things, to establish what the NYSC’s official records show about the certificate and the particulars attached to it.

Arabambi has told the court that the information he is seeking is in the public interest, particularly because it relates to transparency and accountability concerning a person seeking election to public office.

He is asking the court to compel the institutions to disclose information that is not legally exempt and to identify any portion of the requested information they believe is protected from disclosure.

One of the reliefs sought by the plaintiff is an order directing the respondents, where they contend that any part of the information is exempt, to identify the specific information withheld and the precise statutory provision relied upon for the refusal.

He is also seeking disclosure of any severable portion of the records that is not covered by a lawful exemption.

Another relief invokes Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act, asking the court to order disclosure if it determines that the institutions are not authorised to deny access, lack reasonable grounds for doing so, or that the public interest in disclosure outweighs the interest served by withholding the information.

The cases have emerged amid heightened political attention to the credentials of presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 general election.

Obi, who previously contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party, is now the NDC presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The legal action by Arabambi, who remains a Labour Party chieftain, therefore introduces another layer to the political contest surrounding the opposition candidate.

The controversy over Obi’s academic records is not entirely new, as questions about his certificates and names appearing on official documents have previously generated political debate and public commentary.

Supporters of Obi have in the past rejected allegations questioning the validity of his educational credentials.

The current cases, however, seek to obtain information directly from the institutions whose records are expected to contain details about the certificates.

The Federal High Court will therefore be asked to determine whether the plaintiff is entitled under the FOI Act to the information he requested and whether the respondents were legally justified in withholding or refusing to provide the records.

The outcome could have wider implications for access to official records concerning public office seekers, particularly where requests involve educational qualifications, professional credentials and other documents submitted for electoral purposes.

For now, there has been no judicial finding that Peter Obi’s certificates are forged or invalid.

The immediate issue before the court is whether WAEC, UNN and NYSC should be compelled to release or verify the relevant records requested by Arabambi.

As of September 13, 2026, no hearing date had been fixed for the three suits.

The cases are expected to attract significant attention as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

2027: LP Chieftain Sues WAEC, UNN, NYSC Over Peter Obi’s Credentials

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Ogun Crash: Nine Die As Bus Collides With Truck On Ijebu-Ode-Ore Road

Published

10 minutes ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Ogun Crash: Nine Die As Bus Collides With Truck On Ijebu-Ode-Ore Road

Nine people have been killed in a fatal road crash in Ogun State after a commercial bus collided with a truck along the Ijebu-Ode–Ore Expressway.

The crash occurred at about 4:55 p.m. on Monday around the Bethel area of the Ijebu-Ode Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The accident involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line, with registration number 14B-299DT, and a white Sino Truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd, with registration number AAB162XD.

The FRSC Ogun State Sector Command confirmed that nine people were involved in the crash and that all nine died.

The victims comprised three males and six females, according to the road safety agency.

The crash occurred during rainfall, leaving the road surface wet at the time of the incident. A preliminary investigation by the FRSC identified speed violation as the probable cause of the collision.

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The agency’s rescue team reportedly arrived at the scene at about 4:58 p.m., just three minutes after the crash was reported, and immediately commenced rescue and recovery operations.

The bodies of the victims were evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Ijebu-Ode, while the two vehicles were towed to the Ilese Police Station by the Nigeria Police Force Motor Traffic Division for further investigation.

The Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, expressed concern over the continued dangers posed by speeding, particularly during rainfall.

Ogunjobi urged motorists, especially commercial vehicle operators, to obey speed limits, maintain safe following distances and exercise greater caution on wet roads.

He warned that speeding on wet roads increases the risk of losing control because reduced tyre grip and visibility can make it more difficult for drivers to stop or manoeuvre safely.

The latest Ogun road crash adds to a series of fatal accidents recorded on major highways in the state, with the FRSC repeatedly urging motorists to comply with traffic regulations and avoid dangerous driving practices.

The road safety agency condoled with the families of the nine victims and urged motorists to make safety a priority, particularly during periods of rainfall.

Ogun Crash: Nine Die As Bus Collides With Truck On Ijebu-Ode-Ore Road

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Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

Published

26 minutes ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Kamoru Omokoye

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as Kamoru Omokoye, popularly known as Zobo, has been shot dead at Abijo Bus Stop in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

Omokoye was reportedly attacked around 9am on Sunday by two men who arrived at the bus stop in an unregistered Lexus RX 350 before opening fire on him.

A police source who confirmed the incident said the victim was shot in the head during the attack. The assailants reportedly sped away immediately after the shooting.

Omokoye was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, for treatment but was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.

Following the incident, detectives visited the scene and combed the area as part of efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the Lagos bus stop shooting.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, also confirmed the incident, saying the command had commenced an investigation.

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While the police source described the attackers as suspected cultists, the exact motive for the killing has not been officially established.

An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, reported that Omokoye was sitting at a drinking spot near the bus stop when the attackers arrived and opened fire. The report said other people at the location fled as the gunmen shot at the gathering.

At least three other people were reportedly wounded in the shooting.

Omokoye was said to have previously worked around Awoyaya Bus Stop before moving to GRA Bus Stop. He was also reportedly the father of an eight-month-old child.

The latest incident has heightened concerns about violent attacks around transport corridors and public gathering points in parts of Lagos State, particularly where criminal or cult-related activities have previously been reported.

Police authorities have yet to announce any arrest in connection with the killing.

The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive and determining whether the killing was linked to a cult-related dispute, a transport-union conflict or another criminal motive.

Residents have also been urged to provide useful information to the police that could assist in identifying those responsible for the killing of the NURTW member.

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

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Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

Published

46 minutes ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board, including military personnel, family members and seven crew members.

The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed into a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday morning.

The aircraft was reportedly travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine military mission when communication with air traffic controllers was lost at about 9:13 a.m.

Efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft reportedly failed before the aircraft disappeared from radar. Its wreckage was later located in the difficult-to-access swamp near the naval facility.

The victims included Nigerian military personnel and members of their families, with reports indicating that some of the family members were children returning to school. The presence of family members on the flight has added to the grief surrounding the Ondo plane crash.

The crash site, located in a swampy and waterlogged area, posed significant challenges to rescuers and recovery teams. Military personnel, emergency responders and local residents were involved in efforts to reach the wreckage and recover the victims.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that no survivor had been found at the crash site. Responders reportedly recovered parts of the aircraft, military uniforms and identity cards from the area while efforts continued to retrieve the wreckage.

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The exact cause of the NAF aircraft crash remains unknown.

Early reports raised the possibility of adverse weather conditions, while another account suggested that the aircraft could have suffered a technical or mechanical problem. Neither explanation has been established as the cause of the crash, and officials have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation.

The loss of communication between the aircraft and air traffic controllers is expected to form a major part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, weather conditions, flight-control communications and data from the aircraft’s flight recorder.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the NAF plane crash, directing the Nigerian Air Force to establish what led to the tragedy.

Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful loss to the country.

The President also declared three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel killed in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicated its readiness to provide technical assistance to the military investigation if requested. Because the aircraft was operated by the military, the primary investigation is expected to be handled by the Nigerian Air Force.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance records and communication with air traffic control to determine what happened during the final stages of the flight.

The Nigerian Air Force is also expected to release the names of the deceased after completing the process of notifying their families.

The Ondo NAF crash is one of the deadliest recent military aviation accidents in Nigeria and has renewed concerns about the safety, maintenance and operational readiness of military aircraft.

For now, attention remains focused on the recovery of the victims, identification of those who died and the investigation that will determine how the aircraft carrying 32 people came down in the Ondo wetlands.