Peter Obi: Release My UNN Academic Records, I Have Nothing to Hide

Peter Obi

Peter Obi: Release My UNN Academic Records, I Have Nothing to Hide

Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to release his academic records, saying he has no objection to legitimate scrutiny of his educational history.

Obi’s position comes amid a fresh controversy over his academic credentials, following separate suits filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking access to records relating to his education and National Youth Service.

The cases were instituted by Abayomi Arabambi, a former Labour Party chieftain, who is asking the courts to compel the relevant institutions to release records concerning Obi’s WAEC, UNN and NYSC credentials.

Obi, however, has said the institutions should simply make the records available rather than allow the issue to generate unnecessary controversy.

The former governor’s call followed a request by a journalist during an event at the University of Nigeria, where he was asked about the controversy surrounding his educational records.

Obi reportedly said there was nothing wrong with the university releasing his records, stressing that he had attended the institution and that the relevant information should be available through official channels.

The development comes against the background of three separate Federal High Court suits filed by Arabambi.

The first two cases were filed on September 1, 2026, against the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), while a third case was filed against UNN on September 9.

The cases seek access to existing official records concerning certificates attributed to Obi.

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According to court documents cited in reports, the WAEC case is registered as FHC/ABJ/CS/2064/2026, while the NYSC case is FHC/ABJ/CS/2063/2026. The UNN case is registered as FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026.

Arabambi has maintained that he is not asking the court to determine whether Obi’s certificates are genuine or forged.

Instead, he wants the institutions to release records that could establish the details surrounding the certificates and the educational history attributed to the former Anambra governor.

The documents reportedly include WAEC Certificate No. SC042560, said to have been issued in June 1978; UNN Certificate No. D000198, relating to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy reportedly awarded in 1984; and NYSC Certificate No. 203495, reportedly issued on May 1, 1986.

Arabambi’s legal action followed attempts to obtain the records directly from the institutions.

He reportedly said WAEC rejected his request on August 11, citing provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, while he alleged that UNN and NYSC did not provide the requested records or explanations for their positions.

The legal action has consequently shifted the controversy from political statements to the courts, where the institutions may be required to respond to the requests for access to their records.

However, the existence of the lawsuits does not establish that Obi’s certificates are forged, invalid or fraudulent.

The cases are requests for access to records, and the court has yet to make any finding that the former governor committed wrongdoing in relation to his educational qualifications.

The controversy has also created a political dispute within the Labour Party.

The Labour Party has disowned Arabambi, saying he no longer represents the party and should not be regarded as acting on its behalf in the credential cases.

The party said Arabambi was among members suspended by its National Executive Council in March over alleged anti-party activities and was subsequently expelled.

The LP therefore distanced itself from the legal action and indicated that it could take steps against Arabambi if he continued to present himself as a representative of the party.

The development is significant because Obi contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party platform and is now preparing for the 2027 presidential election under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Obi’s political opponents and supporters have consequently interpreted the credential controversy through the lens of the emerging 2027 political contest.

The NDC has defended Obi’s academic record, while maintaining that the former governor has nothing to hide.

The party has also criticised what it described as attempts to use credential-related questions to distract from Obi’s political campaign.

Obi himself has adopted a more open position, urging institutions that hold records relating to him to make them available.

His call for UNN to release the records could therefore provide an opportunity for the university to address questions surrounding his academic history through its official records rather than allowing the matter to remain subject to political claims and counterclaims.

The issue is particularly sensitive because educational qualifications are an important component of eligibility for elective office in Nigeria, and questions about candidates’ credentials have previously resulted in legal disputes.

Nevertheless, any determination about the authenticity or status of Obi’s academic qualifications will ultimately depend on the official records and, where necessary, judicial findings rather than political allegations.

As of the latest development, no hearing date has been fixed for the three suits, and there has been no court ruling declaring any of Obi’s certificates forged or invalid.

The UNN case is therefore being closely watched because the university’s response could provide important documentary information about Obi’s academic history.

For now, Obi’s position is that there should be transparency and that the relevant institutions should release whatever legitimate records they hold.

The controversy is expected to remain part of the political conversation as the 2027 elections approach, particularly because Obi remains one of the major opposition figures seeking to challenge the ruling political establishment.

Whether the legal proceedings will produce information that materially affects the political contest remains to be seen, but the immediate issue before the courts is the release and verification of official records — not a judicial finding that Peter Obi’s credentials are fraudulent.