UPDATED: Buhari clears air on WASC result
Presidential Candidtate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), General Muhammadu Buhari this morning cleared the air on the West Africa School Certificate (WASC) controversy, describing it as the handiwork of mischief makers. Speaking at the Kano State Government House, Buhari said he graduated at Provicional Secondary School,Katsina in 1961 with many prominent Nigerians including late […]
Presidential Candidtate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), General Muhammadu Buhari this morning cleared the air on the West Africa School Certificate (WASC) controversy, describing it as the handiwork of mischief makers.
Speaking at the Kano State Government House, Buhari said he graduated at Provicional Secondary School,Katsina in 1961 with many prominent Nigerians including late Shehu Musa Yar’Adu and Justice Umar Abdullahi, a former president of Court of Appeal.
He said they sat for the WASC with the two prominent personalities. He gave his examination number as 8280002 and that he passed the examination with the second division.
” I assumed all along that all my records were in the custody of the military secretary of the Nigerian Army but to my surprise we were all told that although a record of the result is available, there are no copies of the certificate in my personal file. This is why I have formally requested my old school, the Provincial secondary school, katsina which is now known as Government college, katsina to make available the school’s copy of the result of the Cambridge West Africa School certificate,” he said.
Flanked by his running mate Professor Yomi Osinbajo, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, he said the certificate will be made available to press.
He urged journalists to investigate the veracity of his claim at the Government College, Katsina.
Detail soon
Press Statement by General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on the School Certificate Issue
Good Morning, Gentlemen of the Press.
I only consented to address you this morning because of the genuine concern expressed by many supporters and other well-meaning Nigerians that the issue be addressed. Otherwise, I would have dismissed it for what it is – sheer mischief and would not have considered it an issue worth the nation’s while.
I had assumed all along that all my records were in the custody of the Military Secretary of the Nigerian Army. Much to my surprise, we are now told that although a record of the result is available, there are no copies of the certificates in my personal file. This is why I formally requested my old school the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina [which is now known as Government College, Katsina] to make available the school’s copy of the result of the Cambridge/West African School Certificate. This will be made available to the press the moment this is available.
However, before we obtain that, let me say for the record that I attended Provincial Secondary School, Katsina. I graduated in 1961 with many prominent Nigerians, including General Shehu Yar’Adua, former chief of staff at the Supreme Headquarters, and Justice Umaru Abdullahi, a former President of the Court of Appeal. We sat for the University of Cambridge/WASC Examination together in 1961, the year we graduated. My examination number was 8280002, and I passed the examination in the Second Division.
And although the ruling party may want to wish this away, the issue in this campaign cannot be my certificate which I obtained 53 years ago. The issues are the scandalous level of unemployment of millions of our young people, the state of insecurity, the pervasive official corruption which has impoverished our people and the lack of concern of the government for anything other than the retention of power at all costs.
Thank you very much.
General Muhammadu Buhari