Certificate Controversy: The Buhari example

Therefore, in order that people are never left in the dark, everything must be explained to them. It is against this backdrop that we welcome the recent exposure by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of the alleged certificate saga of General Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential flag bearer of the main opposition party, the All […]

Therefore, in order that people are never left in the dark, everything must be explained to them. It is against this backdrop that we welcome the recent exposure by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of the alleged certificate saga of General Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential flag bearer of the main opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC). Even if the PDP was out for mischief or to score a political point, the nation has much to gain from the resolution of the saga. To dismiss the issue by describing it as a distraction is wrong because every Presidential candidate has a legal obligation to possess a minimum of the West African School Certificate. If General Buhari does not have it, he cannot qualify to contest a Presidential election in Nigeria. It is immaterial that he had been “allowed” previously to contest such an election.
Another dimension which the nation can similarly not tolerate is for a candidate to lie on oath claiming for instance that he has a certificate which he does not have or that he attended a school which is untrue. Thus, the allegation that Buhari is not academically qualified for the February 14, 2015 Presidential election ought to gravely disturb Nigerians and it did more so as the army at a press conference a few days ago said it did not have Buhari’s certificate contrary to the claim of the APC flag bearer. In earnest, the rebuttal raised the tempo of the saga beyond mere allegation. Perhaps the army did not intend to impugn the integrity of a one-time commander in chief, but it illuminated the suspicion that he was not really qualified to contest the election. Considering the claim of the Army spokesman, Brigadier General Olajide Laleye that the Army had been inundated with requests about Buhari’s academic qualification, it is unfortunate that the army was unable to categorically resolve such an issue of national importance. First, the army left Nigerians to think that it does not critically examine the suitability of applicants before recruiting them hence it enlisted young Buhari in 1961 with just a recommendation.
Second, anyone is free to impute from the press conference that the career-growth of Buhari from his enlistment to the highest position in the army was without recourse to any academic credentials in his file. Third, the press conference added nothing to and subtracted nothing from the subsisting rumour thereby leaving the public further confused about whether or not the retired General was academically fit for election which is all the public wanted cleared. The implication of this is that the army employed what is called the transmission model of communication in which someone says something for the sake of speaking and not with any intent to share an idea. The army must say more especially as the APC has charged it of double-speaking; recalling that at first, it said it had the records of all its retirees, only to now deny having those of Buhari. If the reason why Buhari’s file is devoid of credentials is because he enlisted in the 1960s as claimed, can we vouch for the qualifications of any retired General of Buhari’s generation and earlier? For the APC, it was time for self-help by moving to Buhari’s old school to clarify the situation.
Accordingly, General Muhammadu Buhari has formally explained that he attended the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina with many prominent Nigerians, like the late General Shehu Yar’Ardua, former chief of staff at the Supreme Headquarters, and Justice Umaru Abdullahi, a former President of the Court of Appeal. He also claimed to have sat for the University of Cambridge/WASC Examination in 1961, with the examination number 8280002, which he reportedly passed in the Second Division. Whether we believe Buhari or not, it is fair to commend him for not escaping to be accountable. He could have followed the dodgy steps of some other politicians who in the past took the nation through the rigours of the unduly long nature of litigation in Nigeria. Who knows, Buhari could have won the case in court going by how some similar cases were delivered in the past. All he needed to do was go from one court to a higher one until he gets to the Supreme Court several months later where it could have been argued that having been cleared by the electoral body to contest the election, it was late to distract him with the issue of eligibility. Even if Buhari could not afford it, his party would have been able to enlist the services of several Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to overwhelm justice with technicality- a road we have passed before!
It is thus remarkable that Buhari has put the certificate issue fully in the public domain choosing not to employ escapism which could short-change the people. It may not satisfy everyone but those satisfied with it would be better guided to make rational electoral decisions. Those not satisfied should feel free to further investigate it just as the PDP is already doing with a fresh allegation that the result produced by Buhari’s old school was forged. This is why any societal institution associated with any of the current allegations should deal with the matter expeditiously. For example, the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) should fully explain the rumour of Buhari’s alleged ailment credited to that institution instead of issuing a terse statement that may not persuade many people or using the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria that some may doubt. If an indicted societal institution clears controversies around itself, its image will improve; the maligned would be cleared; leaders would learn to distance themselves from aides who peddle half-truths and above all the public as a whole will be better served.