In a bold, high-stakes move to silence doubters, Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has thrown open the gates of his academic past, authorising the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and all other institutions he attended to release his academic records to the world.
Obi made the dramatic authorisation in a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, declaring he has nothing to hide and welcomes full public scrutiny.
I Have Nothing To Hide – Obi Dares UNN
The former Anambra governor said he has no objection to UNN or any institution, within or outside Nigeria, releasing his credentials within the limits of the law.
“As a presidential candidate seeking the trust of Nigerians to lead our country, I welcome legitimate public interest in my background, qualifications and record,” Obi stated.
His declaration comes on the heels of a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by Labour Party chieftain, Abayomi Arabambi, seeking an order compelling UNN to release certified records relating to the Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy the university allegedly awarded Obi in 1984.
Obi insisted that public scrutiny of aspirants’ credentials will strengthen, not weaken, Nigeria’s democracy.
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Let Every Candidate Do The Same
In a direct challenge that has set the stage for a fresh political showdown ahead of 2027, Obi threw down the gauntlet to his fellow presidential hopefuls.
He challenged other candidates in the race to emulate him by also authorising their schools to make their academic records public.
According to him, such radical transparency will boost public confidence, kill certificate controversies and entrench accountability in political leadership.
Obi’s Camp Raises Alarm Over 600 Lecturers Endorsing Tinubu
Meanwhile, the Peter Obi Media Office, POMR, has raised a red flag over reports that about 600 university academics have endorsed President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a statement signed by spokesman Idris Zekeri, POMR warned that the endorsement could compromise the neutrality of electoral personnel, as universities historically supply INEC with returning and collation officers.
“Electoral rigging does not suddenly occur on election day; it begins months or even years earlier through the identification, cultivation and placement of individuals,” POMR warned.
The group urged INEC to disclose the identities of the academics involved, exclude them from sensitive election duties, publish names of prospective collation officers ahead of elections, and called on university councils to tighten conflict-of-interest rules for politically active lecturers.
