The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has confirmed that former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, was duly admitted to study Philosophy at the institution in 1980.
The university also authenticated the copy of Obi’s degree certificate examined by PREMIUM TIMES, confirming that he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) in 1984.
The confirmation comes amid renewed questions and claims on social media and in political circles over Obi’s academic credentials.
According to the response issued by UNN to a Freedom of Information request, Obi, whose full name was given as Gregory Peter Onwubuasi Obi, was admitted on September 3, 1980, into the Faculty of Social Sciences to study Philosophy.
The university said he was registered under registration number 80/26333, while his admission letter carried JAMB reference number JAMB/ICMS/80 and serial number 07928.
UNN further confirmed that the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy certificate presented for verification was genuinely issued by the university.
The institution said the degree, dated December 15, 1984, was awarded by the University Senate and carried certificate number D000198.
The university therefore confirmed both Obi’s admission and subsequent graduation from the institution.
The development follows claims by critics, including Labour Party chieftain Abayomi Arabambi, who had questioned whether Obi could have been admitted to study Philosophy based on the academic results that had been publicly circulated.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the controversy partly centred on Obi’s 1978 examination results, which showed passes rather than credits in English Language and Mathematics.
However, in its response, UNN said Obi's admission was based on a combination of two examination results from 1978.
The university said the June 1978 WAEC result was combined with a November/December 1978 GCE result and that the combined qualifications satisfied the admission requirements applicable at the time.
UNN stated that there were no alternative admission pathways, exemptions, remedial programmes or equivalent qualifications involved in Obi's admission, adding that he was qualified for admission from the outset.
Despite the university's confirmation of Obi's admission and degree, PREMIUM TIMES reported that it was unable to independently examine the details of the November/December 1978 GCE result because the annexures referenced in UNN's response were not supplied with the letter.
The newspaper said it subsequently sought the missing documents from the university but had not received them at the time of its report.
The distinction means that while UNN has officially authenticated Obi's 1984 degree and confirmed that he met the admission requirements using the combined examination results, the details of the second 1978 examination result remain unavailable for independent examination by PREMIUM TIMES.
Following the controversy, Obi said he had no objection to the release of his academic records to individuals making legitimate requests.
He also called on other presidential candidates to make their educational qualifications and relevant records available for legitimate public scrutiny.
Obi said public scrutiny should be fair, lawful and applied consistently to everyone seeking public office.
The issue had also led to legal action by Arabambi, who approached the Federal High Court seeking orders compelling UNN to release certified copies of Obi's academic records and certificate-related documents. The case was reported as pending at the time of the PREMIUM TIMES report.
For now, UNN's official response provides confirmation from the institution that admitted Obi that he studied Philosophy there from 1980 and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Second Class Honours (Lower Division), in 1984.
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