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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has asked the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to release his academic records, saying he has no objection to legitimate public scrutiny of his educational history.
Obi made the request on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, following reports of a Federal High Court action seeking certified copies of documents relating to his admission, studies and university degree.
The former Anambra State governor said he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy by UNN in 1984 and expressly consented to the university making available his academic certificates and other official records, subject to applicable laws and legitimate requests.
“I wish to state clearly that I have absolutely no objection to the release of these records,” Obi said.
Obi went further, asking other educational institutions he attended in Nigeria and abroad to make his records available in accordance with applicable laws and procedures. He argued that individuals seeking public office should be prepared to subject their backgrounds to scrutiny.
The controversy follows legal action instituted by Abayomi Arabambi, a former Labour Party spokesperson, against UNN over the university’s alleged failure to provide documents relating to Obi’s academic history.
The suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 9. Arabambi is asking the court for an order compelling UNN to respond to a Freedom of Information request concerning Certificate No. D000198, stated in the court filings to relate to a BA Philosophy degree awarded to Obi in 1984.
Importantly, the court action does not itself establish that Obi’s certificate is fake or invalid. According to the filings, Arabambi specifically said he was not asking the court in that proceeding to declare the certificate genuine or forged, but wanted the institutions’ official records disclosed.
The legal scrutiny is also broader than UNN. Separate actions reportedly seek records from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) concerning certificates attributed to Obi.
There is also a political twist. The Labour Party has disowned Arabambi, saying he is no longer a member of the party and challenging reports describing him as an LP chieftain. Obi contested the 2023 presidential election under Labour but is now the NDC presidential candidate for 2027.
Obi’s response appears designed to turn the controversy into a broader argument about transparency and accountability among presidential candidates. He said people seeking public office should be willing to have their backgrounds examined and, where wrongdoing exists, explain themselves to citizens.
That potentially shifts the political debate beyond Obi’s own records.
If one presidential candidate publicly consents to the release of his educational documents, should every candidate seeking Nigeria’s highest office be prepared to do the same?
