Labour Party Disowns Arabambi Over Peter Obi Records Lawsuits

Labour Party Disowns Arabambi Over Peter Obi Records Lawsuits

The Labour Party (LP) has distanced itself from former National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, over lawsuits seeking access to the academic and NYSC records of Peter Obi, saying he is no longer a member of the party and did not institute the cases on its behalf.

The clarification was issued on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, following reports describing Arabambi as an LP chieftain in connection with his legal action against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Asogwa said the party had initially ignored reports about the lawsuits when they circulated on social media but decided to respond after mainstream media organisations also identified Arabambi as an LP chieftain.

According to the party, Arabambi ceased to be an LP member after he was among 25 members suspended by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) on March 18, 2026, over alleged infractions bordering on anti-party activities.

The LP said the suspension was subsequently ratified by its National Convention on April 28, 2026. Following that ratification, the affected individuals ceased to be members of the party, the leadership said.

Asogwa added that no organ of the party had met since then to revisit or reverse the decision concerning the affected members.

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The Labour Party consequently urged the public and media organisations to stop presenting Arabambi as an LP chieftain or representative, stressing that he could not have instituted the cases as a member of the party.

The party also warned that if Arabambi had presented himself as a representative or chieftain of the LP, such representation was unauthorised and could amount to impersonation. It said its lawyers were reviewing the matter and could consider further legal action, including a possible petition to law-enforcement authorities.

The Labour Party, however, clarified that its statement should not be interpreted as an endorsement or rejection of the substance of Arabambi’s court cases. The party said its immediate objective was to correct the impression that he was acting on its behalf.

The controversy followed three separate suits filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in which Arabambi is seeking access to official records relating to certificates and other documents connected with Obi.

The suits were filed against WAEC, NYSC and UNN under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The WAEC case is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2064/2026, while the NYSC case is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2063/2026. Both were filed on September 1, 2026. The suit against UNN, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, was filed on September 9.

Arabambi, through his lawyer Anderson Asemota, is asking the court to compel the institutions to release records in their custody relating to Obi’s academic and national service credentials.

The former LP spokesman has maintained that the lawsuits are not asking the court to determine whether the certificates Obi submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are genuine or forged.

Rather, he says he wants access to the institutions’ underlying official records from which the status and particulars of the certificates can be established.

In the case involving UNN, the requested information relates to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy reportedly awarded to Obi in 1984.

Arabambi is also seeking records relating to an NYSC certificate and information concerning the particulars contained in the relevant records.

The legal action against WAEC followed what Arabambi described as the examination body’s refusal to provide information requested under the Freedom of Information Act. He similarly alleged that UNN and NYSC failed to provide the requested records or satisfactory reasons for withholding them.

The lawsuits have generated political reactions because Obi, who was the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, is now the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.

The NDC has dismissed the lawsuits and defended Obi’s academic background. Its spokesman, Osa Director, said Obi’s academic history was verifiable and questioned the political significance of the legal action.

The NDC also challenged Arabambi to produce evidence supporting any allegation that Obi’s credentials were questionable.

For the Labour Party, however, the immediate issue is Arabambi’s membership status rather than the merits of the cases. The party has made clear that it does not recognise him as an LP member and that the lawsuits should not be regarded as actions instituted by the party.

The courts have yet to determine whether WAEC, UNN and NYSC should release the records sought by Arabambi. The Labour Party’s latest position also does not amount to a judicial finding on the authenticity or otherwise of any of Obi’s credentials.

Labour Party Disowns Arabambi Over Peter Obi Records Lawsuits