NDC Presidential Candidate Peter Obi
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A major legal challenge has emerged in the build-up to Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election after a chieftain of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, filed three separate suits at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the release of official academic and service records belonging to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
The suits, which target the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), ask the court to issue orders of mandamus compelling the institutions to disclose certified true copies of certificates and related records under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011. Arabambi maintains that the information is required in the public interest to promote transparency and accountability for those seeking high public office.
According to court documents, the actions against WAEC (marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2064/2026) and NYSC (FHC/ABJ/CS/2063/2026) were instituted on September 1, 2026, while the suit against UNN (FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026) was filed on September 9. The plaintiff’s legal team, led by Anderson Asemota, has been careful to clarify the limited scope of the applications. Arabambi is not asking the court to declare that any certificate Obi submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with his Form EC9 is genuine or forged. Instead, he seeks disclosure of the institutions’ own official records so that the status and particulars of the certificates can be independently ascertained.
In his affidavit, Arabambi stated that he had earlier written separate letters to the three bodies requesting the relevant information. WAEC responded on August 11, 2026, declining the request and citing Sections 14(1)(a) and 14(2)(a) and (b) of the FOI Act, which protect personal information. Both UNN and NYSC neither granted the requests nor provided any explanation for their refusal.
The specific documents sought are detailed. From WAEC, Arabambi wants a certified true copy of Certificate No. SC042560, said to have been issued to Obi Gregory Onwubuase in June 1978. From UNN, he is requesting the university’s certificate register, academic records, graduation records, Senate and degree-award records, and any other official documents related to Certificate No. D000198, which is linked to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. From NYSC, he seeks access to official records concerning Certificate No. 203495, stated to have been issued to Obi, Gregory Peter-Onwubuase on May 1, 1986, including any supporting materials and clarification on the manner in which the name appears in the service records.
Arabambi argues that the institutions’ refusal to release the information is erroneous and contrary to the FOI Act. He is asking the court to declare that his requests were valid and ought to have been granted, to compel the respondents to communicate the results of verification exercises based on their official records, and to order the disclosure of any non-exempt portions of the requested information. He further prays that if any part is withheld, the institutions must identify the exact statutory provision relied upon.
The development comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of candidates’ credentials ahead of the 2027 general elections. Questions surrounding academic qualifications and name consistency on official documents have become recurring themes in Nigerian politics, often generating intense public debate. Obi, a former governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in 2023, switched platforms and is now flying the flag of the NDC. His candidacy has already attracted significant attention, and the latest legal actions are expected to add another layer of controversy to the unfolding race.
Supporters of greater transparency argue that public office holders and aspirants must be prepared for rigorous examination of their records, especially when those records form the basis of eligibility claims submitted to INEC. Critics of the suits, however, may view them as politically motivated attempts to distract or discredit a leading opposition figure. Arabambi has previously raised concerns publicly about alleged discrepancies in the names appearing on documents attributed to Obi, including variations such as Obi Gregory Onwubuase, Peter Gregory Onwubuasi, and Gregory Peter-Onwubuase.
Legal observers note that orders of mandamus are extraordinary remedies used to compel public institutions to perform statutory duties. Whether the Federal High Court will grant the reliefs sought remains to be seen. As of the time of filing this report, no hearing date has been fixed for any of the three suits. The outcome could set an important precedent for how FOI requests relating to the academic and service records of political candidates are handled in the future.
In the meantime, the cases are likely to keep the issue of credential verification in the national conversation as political parties finalise their strategies and candidates prepare for the demanding campaign season ahead of 2027. The public, civil society groups, and the media will be watching closely to see how the institutions and the courts respond to these demands for greater openness.