RismadarVoice Reporters
September 12, 2026
A Labour Party chieftain, Mr Abayomi Arabambi, has filed a suit against the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), over the institution’s alleged failure to release the academic records of Peter Obi.
Obi is the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Arabambi said he requested a Certified True Copy of a certificate bearing number D000198, reportedly issued to Obi in 1984 for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.
He also requested other official academic records relating to the certificate and the degree, including graduation records, certificate-register entries and relevant Senate or academic approval documents.
According to court documents, the request was submitted to the university on August 6, 2026, under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.
Arabambi alleged that the university failed to provide the requested documents within the period prescribed by law and did not issue a written notice explaining any lawful basis for refusing access.
He said a reminder was subsequently sent on August 31 and received by the university on September 1, but the requested records had still not been released as of the filing of the suit.
Arabambi is asking the court to issue an order of mandamus compelling the university and its Vice-Chancellor to respond to his request and provide the records if they are in the institution’s custody or control.
He also wants the court to declare that his request constitutes a valid application for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
The applicant argued that UNN, as a public institution, has a statutory obligation to respond to requests for information in accordance with the Act.
The case also raises questions over alleged variations in Obi’s name across documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission and educational authorities.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, was filed on September 9, 2026. It had yet to be assigned to a judge as of Saturday.
