Peter Obi’s Credentials Enter Legal Spotlight as Court Hears Records Disclosure Suits
Three Federal High Court suits are asking WAEC, UNN and NYSC to release records relating to Peter Obi’s academic and service credentials, turning a politically charged question into a legal dispute over access to official information.
Three Suits, One Question
The academic and service records of Peter Obi have become the subject of three separate suits before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Abayomi Arabambi, who was previously associated with the Labour Party, sued the West African Examinations Council, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the National Youth Service Corps, seeking orders compelling the institutions to release official records relating to certificates and service documents associated with Obi.
The suits were filed under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011. Arabambi says the institutions either failed to provide the information requested or, in WAEC’s case, refused his request.
What Is Actually Being Asked?
The distinction is important.
According to the court filings reported by PUNCH, Arabambi says he is not asking the court to determine whether Obi’s certificates are genuine or forged. Rather, he wants access to existing official records from which the status and particulars of the documents can be established.
His WAEC case, for instance, seeks a Certified True Copy of a specific WAEC certificate. WAEC reportedly rejected the request, citing exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act. Arabambi is challenging that refusal, while his cases against UNN and NYSC similarly seek access to records.
That puts the immediate legal question somewhere different from the political debate: when can a person demand access to another person’s official educational or service records under the FOI framework?
The Politics Around the Lawsuits
The cases have already attracted competing political reactions.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress, Obi’s current political platform, has defended his academic credentials while acknowledging Arabambi’s right to pursue his claims in court.
The Labour Party has now gone further, saying Arabambi is no longer a member of the party after a suspension later ratified by its National Convention. It said any representation by him as an LP chieftain or representative is unauthorised.
For now, the court is being asked to resolve a narrower legal dispute: whether the institutions must release the requested records. Nothing in the present proceedings establishes that Obi’s credentials are forged or invalid.
That distinction may become increasingly important as the 2027 political season gathers pace.
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