The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has been dragged before the Federal High Court in Abuja over its alleged failure to release the academic records of the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi.
The suit was filed by a chieftain of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, who is asking the court to compel the university to respond to his request for information concerning Obi’s academic qualification.
Arabambi, through his lawyer, Anderson Asemota, filed the originating motion on September 9, 2026.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria and the institution itself were listed as the first and second respondents respectively.
According to the court documents, Arabambi had invoked the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, in requesting a Certified True Copy of a certificate bearing the number D000198, which he said was issued to Obi in connection with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1984.
He also requested Obi’s academic record and other official documents upon which the alleged degree was based.
The applicant said the request was made on July 16, 2026, and was subsequently delivered to and received by the respondents on August 6.
Arabambi alleged that despite the request being made under the FOI Act and being premised on what he described as public interest and accountability, the university failed to provide the requested information within the period stipulated by law.
He is consequently seeking an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to perform what he described as their statutory duty by determining and responding to his FOI request.
The applicant further alleged that the university neither supplied the requested documents nor issued a written notice of refusal identifying the specific provision of the FOI Act relied upon to deny access to the information.
The court is therefore being asked to determine the legal obligations of the university in relation to the FOI request and whether its alleged failure to respond amounts to a breach of the provisions of the law.
The suit places renewed attention on questions surrounding access to public-interest information involving political figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the filing of the suit does not, in itself, establish any wrongdoing or irregularity concerning Obi’s academic qualification.
The allegations contained in the suit remain claims by the applicant pending the determination of the matter by the court.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the case is among the latest legal developments involving attempts to obtain documentary records concerning the educational qualifications of prominent Nigerian politicians.
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