Three separate lawsuits have been filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the release of academic and service credentials belonging to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.

The legal actions were initiated by Abayomi Arabambi, a chieftain of the Labour Party, through his legal team led by Anderson Asemota. The suits target three institutions: the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The applicant filed the lawsuits following the alleged failure of these federal institutions to fulfill requests made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011. Specifically, Arabambi is seeking orders of mandamus to compel the release of official records related to Obi's credentials, emphasizing that the objective is not to declare the documents genuine or forged, but to establish transparency and public accountability for individuals seeking public office.

The details of the individual lawsuits include:

• WAEC Suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2064/2026): Filed on September 1, this action seeks a Certified True Copy of WAEC Certificate No. SC042560, reportedly issued to Obi Gregory Onwubuase in June 1978. WAEC previously declined a similar request on August 11, citing exemptions under Sections 14(1)(a) and 14(2)(a) and (b) of the FOI Act.

• NYSC Suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2063/2026): Also filed on September 1, this case demands access to records regarding NYSC Certificate No. 203495, allegedly issued to Obi, Gregory Peter-Onwubuase on May 1, 1986, including any underlying documentation and clarification on how the name appeared in service records. The NYSC reportedly neither granted nor responded to the initial request.

• UNN Suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026): Filed on September 9, this suit asks the court to compel the university to release certificate registers, academic records, graduation details, and Senate degree-award records concerning Certificate No. D000198. The institution did not respond to the prior information request.

The plaintiff is asking the court to declare that the institutions' refusals or failures to disclose the information are erroneous and that the original FOI requests were entirely valid. Additionally, the suits request court orders compelling the respondents to verify the particulars of the certificates from their existing archives, identify any specific statutory provisions relied upon if information is legally withheld, and disclose all non-exempt portions in the interest of public transparency.