LP chieftain Arabambi sues UNN over Peter Obi’s academic certificate

A former factional spokesperson of the Labour Party (LP), Abayomi Arabambi, has filed a fresh suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order compelling the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to release records relating to Peter Obi’s 1984 Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.

Arabambi, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, is asking the court to compel the Vice-Chancellor of UNN and the university to respond to his request for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of Obi’s alleged degree certificate and other academic records.

The suit was filed on September 9, 2026, by his lawyer, Anderson Asemota.

According to court documents, Arabambi had earlier written to the university requesting a CTC of Certificate Number D000198, which he said was issued to Obi in respect of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1984.

He also requested certified copies of the academic records and other official documents upon which the degree and certificate were based.

Arabambi said the request was made pursuant to the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, 2011, citing public interest and accountability.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the suit, the request was delivered to the respondents on August 6, 2026.

“The applicant expressly made the request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and stated the public interest and accountability basis for the request,” he stated.

He alleged that the university failed to provide the requested documents within the period prescribed by the law and did not issue a written notice explaining any lawful basis for refusing access to the information.

Arabambi said he subsequently sent a reminder dated August 31, 2026, reiterating his request and demanding the records.

The reminder was reportedly received by the respondents on September 1, with the applicant relying on a delivery receipt as evidence.

He further claimed that, as of the commencement of the court action, neither the university nor its Vice-Chancellor had provided the requested records or issued a lawful written refusal.

What Arabambi Wants

The applicant is seeking 19 reliefs from the court, including a declaration that his request constituted a valid application for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

He is also asking for an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to provide a certified true copy of Certificate Number D000198, if the document exists in the university’s custody, possession or control.

In addition, Arabambi wants the court to compel the university to release certified copies of existing official academic and institutional records relating to the alleged degree and certificate.

Among the records listed in his application are relevant academic records, graduation or degree-award records, certificate-register entries, Senate or academic approval records and any other official documents upon which the degree or certificate was based.

Arabambi argued that the FoI Act gives applicants a statutory right to access information held by public institutions and that UNN is subject to the provisions of the law.

He maintained that the information he requested concerns a certificate allegedly issued by UNN, making the institution’s records directly relevant to his application.

The applicant further argued that Section 4 of the FoI Act imposes a duty on public institutions to respond to requests within the prescribed period.

According to him, the failure of the respondents to provide the information or issue a lawful refusal amounted to a refusal or deemed refusal under the Act.

Name Variations

The case also touches on what Arabambi described as variations in Peter Obi’s name across documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and educational authorities.

The applicant said the records sought from UNN were relevant to his concerns regarding the different versions of Obi’s name appearing in official documents.

However, the case has not yet been assigned to a judge at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The suit is therefore awaiting assignment before further proceedings can take place.

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