Buhari Had Credits In 5 WASC Subjects In 1961, Nigeria Army Clears The Air

Nigeria Army has finally cleared the air on the controversies surrounding the school certificate of the Presidential candidate candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, saying that he obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 with credits in relevant subjects: English Language, Geography, History, Health Science, Hausa and a pass in English Literature.
At a press briefing today, the Director of the Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Olajide Laleye said that records available indicate that Major General M Buhari applied to join the military as a Form Six student of the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina on 18 October 1961. He said that Buhari’s application was duly endorsed by the Principal of the school, who also wrote a report on him and recommended him to be suitable for military commission.
“It is a practice in the NA that before candidates are shortlisted for commissioning into the officers’ cadre of the Service, the Selection Board verifies the original copies of credentials
that are presented. However, there is no available record to show that this process was followed in the 1960s.
“Nevertheless, the entry made on the NA Form 199A at the point of documentation after commission as an officer indicated that the former Head of State obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 with credits in relevant subjects: English Language, Geography, History, Health Science, Hausa and a pass in English Literature. Neither the original copy, Certified True Copy (CTC) nor statement of result of Major General M Buhari’s WASC result is in his personal file.
“I hope this explanation will put to rest the raging controversy surrounding the secondary school credentials of Major General Mohammed Buhari as it affects the Nigerian Army.”
Major General Olaleye made it clearly that the Nigerian Army holds the retired senior officer in very high esteem and respect and would not be a party to any controversy surrounding General Buhari’s eligibility for any political office.
He said that Buhari rose steadily to the enviable rank of Major General before becoming the Head of State of Nigeria in December 1983, adding that the media hype on retired Major General Buhari’s credentials as well as the numerous requests made by individuals and corporate bodies to the Nigerian Army on this issue necessitated that the provision of the facts as contained in the retired senior officer’s service record.
Meanwhile Buhari has scheduled to speak to Nigerians and the world tomorrow, about the controversies that have dogged his educational certificate and health status.
A statement from the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mallam Garab Shehu which described Governor Ayodele Fayose as errand boy of the power-that-be in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that General Buhari will address a press conference tomorrow morning in Kano to address the issue of the certificate.
Also the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has dismissed the rebuttal by the Peoples Democratic Party over the distasteful front page newspaper advertorial by Governor Ayo Fayose, promoting a death wish on General Muhammadu Buhari.
A statement from the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC presidential campaign today said that the denial of PDP advertorial signed by Governor Ayodele Fayose by Femi Fani-Kayode, is “merely a case of a master dissociating himself from the errand boy after the message had backfired.”
According to the APC Campaign, the response of the ruling party is “too casual and off-handed to impress anyone. It doesn’t sound convincing. The PDP needs to take this issue more seriously to underscore its commitment to the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy and the non-violence pact entered into by the party and its presidential candidate.”
The statement, signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu says further that: “It is very irresponsible for the PDP to want to distance itself from the death threat to General Buhari, made by not only a sitting governor of the PDP but also a high ranking member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Committee.
“Just in case the PDP had forgotten, what was Fani-Kayode thinking in his mind when he challenged General Buhari to make a jog round a field? Was it to put him through a body fitness workout or to plant a sniper somewhere around the field?
“Whatever the intention of the PDP was, about the health status of General Buhari, we in the APC Campaign believe in the exclusivity of the divine role in the matters of life and death.
“It is not difficult for Nigerians to discern what the PDP odd intention towards the APC and its presidential candidate is. The PDP’s uncivilised death plot only exposes the mindset of the party and their cohorts.
“That the PDP can place such noxious campaign advertorial into the public domain, in a desperate attempt to promote an incompetent incumbent president is tantamount to PDP’s tradition of violence and victimization, as well as an eloquent commentary on how President Goodluck Jonathan runs his administration.”
The APC Presidential Campaign Organization restated its request for an independent investigation into the PDP threat against its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the safety of Buhari and a free and fair election on February 14. [myad]