The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and other institutions he attended to release his academic records to the public, declaring that he has nothing to hide.
Obi made the demand in a video obtained on Tuesday against the backdrop of a legal dispute over the alleged refusal of UNN to release documents relating to his academic records.
The former Anambra State governor specifically urged UNN to publish his admission documents, academic results from his first year through graduation and other records contained in his student file.
He also challenged institutions where he undertook academic and executive programmes, including Lagos Business School, London School of Economics, Columbia Business School, Kellogg School of Management, Harvard Business School, Oxford and Cambridge, to make relevant records available for public scrutiny.
Obi said anyone seeking public office should be prepared to subject his or her background to scrutiny, stressing that political leaders must exemplify the values expected of society.
“I’m actually going to tweet to say, please, I’m begging University of Nigeria Nsukka to make available every document that is in my file, or how I was admitted in the university, all my results from year one to final year,” he said.
He further challenged anyone in possession of information about his records in Nigeria or abroad to make such information public.
“If I have an FBI file which I’m not aware of, or files in another country, this is time for them to bring it to the public,” Obi said.
The NDC candidate also backed calls for other presidential candidates to make their records available for public scrutiny.
According to him, such scrutiny would provide candidates with an opportunity to explain any wrongdoing in their past and demonstrate that they had changed.
“Yes, because we want to know if there’s any place that I’ve done wrong, I’ll be the one to come and explain to people: I did this wrong yesterday, but I’ve changed,” he said.
Obi’s comments came days after a suspended Labour Party member, Abayomi Arabambi, filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja over UNN’s alleged failure to release documents relating to the former Anambra governor’s academic records.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026, was filed on September 9 by Arabambi’s lawyer, Anderson Asemota.
The Vice-Chancellor of UNN and the university were listed as the first and second respondents.
Arabambi is asking the court to compel the university to provide certified copies of documents relating to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy allegedly awarded to Gregory Peter Onwubuasi Obi in 1984.
According to the originating motion and supporting affidavit, Arabambi requested on July 16 a Certified True Copy of Certificate Number D000198, said to have been issued in respect of Obi.
He also requested copies of the academic records and other official documents on which the alleged degree and certificate were based.
The applicant said the request was made under the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and received by the respondents on August 6.
He alleged that UNN failed to provide the requested documents within the period prescribed by law and did not issue a written notice of refusal stating the specific provision of the Act relied upon in denying access.
Arabambi subsequently sent a reminder on August 31, which was reportedly received on September 1.
Among the 19 reliefs sought by the applicant is an order of mandamus compelling UNN to respond to his Freedom of Information request in accordance with the law.
He is also asking the court to compel the university to provide a Certified True Copy of Certificate Number D000198, if the certificate exists in its custody, possession or control.
Other documents sought include academic records, graduation and degree-award records, certificate-register entries, Senate or academic approval records, as well as other official documents relating to the alleged degree.
The development has placed Obi’s academic history at the centre of a fresh public and legal debate, with the NDC candidate now publicly urging the institutions concerned to release the records for independent scrutiny.