The academic records of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), have come under fresh legal scrutiny after Labour Party chieftain Abayomi Arabambi filed three separate suits seeking access to records held by WAEC, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The suits, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seek orders compelling the three institutions to release existing official records relating to certificates reportedly issued to Obi.
Arabambi’s legal action comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 elections, with questions surrounding candidates’ qualifications and public records likely to attract increasing attention as the contest approaches.
But the plaintiff has drawn a clear line between his request for information and any allegation that Obi’s certificates are forged.
According to the court documents, Arabambi is not asking the court to determine whether certificates Obi submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are genuine or forged. Instead, he wants the institutions to disclose what their own records show about the certificates.
Three Suits, Three Institutions
The action against WAEC is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2064/2026 and was filed on September 1, 2026.
The NYSC case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2063/2026, was filed on the same date, while the suit against UNN, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, was filed on September 9.
All three actions were filed on Arabambi’s behalf by his lawyer, Anderson Asemota.
The plaintiff says he had separately approached the institutions under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, asking for records concerning certificates he believed they issued to Obi.
He alleged that WAEC rejected his request, while UNN and NYSC had, as of the time the suits were filed, neither supplied the requested information nor explained why it was being withheld.
The development adds another layer to the increasingly active political realignment ahead of 2027. The Bureau Journal recently reported on Peter Obi’s political activities and reported visit to Benue, while the wider opposition movement continues to take shape.
What Arabambi Wants From WAEC
In the case against WAEC, Arabambi is asking the court to compel the examination body to release a Certified True Copy of WAEC Certificate No. SC042560, stated in the suit to have been issued to Obi Gregory Onwubuase in June 1978.
Court documents showed that WAEC, in a letter dated August 11, 2026, rejected Arabambi’s request, relying on Sections 14(1)(a) and 14(2)(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information Act.
Arabambi is challenging that refusal, asking the court to determine whether the information sought should be disclosed under the provisions of the law.
He also wants the court to direct the respondents, where they claim that any part of the requested information is exempt from disclosure, to identify the information being withheld and state the specific statutory provision relied upon.
Why UNN Records Matter
The suit against the University of Nigeria, Nsukka takes a similar but broader approach.
Arabambi is seeking access to the university’s certificate register, academic records, graduation records, Senate or degree-award records and other existing official documents relevant to Certificate No. D000198, insofar as those records exist.
He wants the university’s records to establish what they disclose about the certificate and its particulars.
Importantly, the plaintiff says he is not asking the Federal High Court to pronounce on the authenticity of the certificate. His stated objective is to obtain the university’s own records and ascertain whether the certificate and its details appear in them.
The issue of official records and accountability is particularly significant in an election cycle where candidates’ backgrounds are likely to receive intense scrutiny. The Bureau Journal’s 2027 elections guide examines some of the broader political and electoral issues expected to shape the contest.
NYSC Certificate Also Targeted
Arabambi’s third case concerns NYSC Certificate No. 203495, stated to have been issued to “Obi, Gregory Peter-Onwubuase (Mr.)” on May 1, 1986.
He is asking for official records relating to the certificate, including the document, record or material upon which the certificate was based or issued, provided such material remains within the custody, possession or control of the respondents.
He is also seeking information about how the name “Peter-Onwubuase” appears in the relevant NYSC records.
The name issue is likely to attract attention because it goes directly to the particulars contained in the records the plaintiff is asking the court to compel NYSC to disclose.
Arabambi Says It Is About Disclosure, Not Forgery
Throughout the three suits, Arabambi maintains that he is seeking access to existing official records rather than asking the institutions to create new information.
He told the court that the information is being sought in the public interest, particularly for “transparency and accountability concerning persons seeking public office”.
His position is that the institutions should disclose records already within their custody, possession or control so that the status and particulars of the certificates can be independently ascertained.
That distinction is important. The filing of the suits does not, by itself, establish that any certificate belonging to Obi is forged or invalid. It establishes that a political figure is asking the court to compel public institutions to disclose records concerning those certificates.
What the Court Is Being Asked to Order
Among the reliefs sought, Arabambi wants the Federal High Court to declare that the respondents’ refusal or failure to furnish the requested information was wrong.
He is also asking the court to hold that his requests constituted valid applications under the Freedom of Information Act and that the failure to provide the information amounted to a refusal or deemed refusal under the law.
For UNN, he wants an order of mandamus compelling the university to communicate the outcome of its verification of Certificate No. D000198 based on its existing official records.
He is seeking a similar order against NYSC concerning Certificate No. 203495.
Arabambi is further asking the court to order disclosure of all severable portions of the requested information that are not exempt from disclosure.
He has also invoked Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act, asking the court to order disclosure where it finds that the respondents are not authorised to deny access, lack reasonable grounds for refusing access, or where the public interest in disclosure outweighs the interest served by withholding the information.
A New Legal Pressure Point Ahead of 2027
The suits arrive at a politically sensitive moment. Obi remains one of the most prominent figures in the opposition camp, while parties and political actors continue to reposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The Bureau Journal has been tracking that shifting landscape, including political movements within the NDC and developments involving other parties preparing for the 2027 contest.
Recent political developments have also included fresh manoeuvring around opposition alliances. The Bureau Journal previously examined the wider electoral landscape and the challenges facing the emerging opposition bloc, including the role of Obi and other major political figures.
Meanwhile, the political contest is already extending beyond presidential calculations. The emergence of party candidates for legislative seats, including the APC’s senatorial candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, illustrates how quickly the electoral machinery is taking shape.
In that environment, disputes over candidates’ records can become politically consequential even before they reach the courtroom’s substantive stage.
No Hearing Date Yet
As of the time of filing the report, no date had been fixed for the hearing of the three suits.
The immediate question before the court is therefore not whether Peter Obi’s certificates are genuine or forged, but whether the institutions holding the relevant records should be compelled to disclose them under the Freedom of Information Act.
Whatever the eventual outcome, the cases could place renewed attention on the documentary records surrounding one of Nigeria’s most prominent presidential contenders as the country moves closer to the 2027 election.
The Bureau Journal will continue to follow the proceedings and any response from WAEC, UNN, NYSC, Peter Obi or his political organisation.
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