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Buhari’s Certificate Scandal: Who is Lying?
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By Eric Elezuo
In the runoff to the 2015 Presidential election, the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign team stirred the hornet’s nest with the claim that General Muhammadu Buhari as he was then known, does not possess a basic educational qualification to vie for the office of the president. This, by all standard, is a simple West African Examination Certificate. It must be noted that section 131 of the 1999Constitution (as amended) is clear on the conditions to be fulfilled by someone aspiring to the position of the President of Nigeria.
As to be expected, the Buhari group fight to the allegation with everything they have got, including the sympathy of majority of Nigerians, which miraculously were rooting for Buhari. Much as Buhari couldn’t produce the certificate, he claimed it was with the army. But in a swift reaction, the army denied having such a document in its archive. Nigerians mocked the pronouncement, saying it was witch hunting. Of course the then President Goodluck Jonathan must hook-winked the army as the Commander-in-Chief to hide Buhari’s certificate. Buhari went ahead to win the election, and of course, a lot of heads rolled in the army, including that of the Director of Army Information as of then. A made up drama of a WAEC official in the Presidential Villa presenting a WAEC certificate to Buhari. The celebrated episode gathered a lot of discourse as there were so many loopholes in the document. Yet, it stood.
But the ghost of Buhari’s certificate scandal never rested as the echo resonated time and time again during the four years Buhari was in the seat of power. It became louder as the 2019 elections drew closer with Atiku Abubakar campaign team bring up the matter again. This time, they claimed they had tangible proof that Buhari never had a certificate. But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not pay heed. Buhari won again, much as he couldn’t present a certificate, evidence of his education, to INEC.
In the affidavit he submitted to the electoral body, he said his academic qualification documents are with the Secretary of the Military Board.
Then the time came for Atiku to prove his case, to prove that Buhari, as he claimed, has no certificate, and there is no proper place to do that except the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal.
Gen. Paul Tarfa, testifying for President Muhammadu Buhari said he had always passed with ‘flying colours’ all exams he sat.
Tarfa said he was enlisted with Buhari into the officer cadre of the Nigerian Army on April 16, 1962, adding that Buhari had achieved an enviable record during the military training.
He listed some of their colleagues to include Brigadier Ola Oni, Maj.-Gen. Durojaye, Col. J.C Ojukwu, Brigadier Shelleng as well as Maj.-Gen Musa Yar-Adua, but he could not say much about certificate.
On his part, the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari claimed he had personally gone to collect the Cambridge University West Africa Examination Certificate of the president on July 18 for further proof.
“I can confirm that I was the one that collected and signed the Cambridge University West Africa Examination Certificate on behalf of the president on July 18, 2019,” he said.
On his part, Malam Suleman Mai-adua, Buhari’s classmate in Katsina Provincial Secondary School, who came to court with a group photograph of the class six of 1961 set and their principal, said they graduated from the school with Cambridge University West African Examination Certificate in 1961. He identified himself and Buhari in the picture. he had been asked if there is difference between a picture and a certificate, he answered ‘yes’. He answered in the negative when asked if a picture can take the place of a certificate.
Among documents tendered by Buhari’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun included Cambridge Assessment International Education Certificate for Muhammadu Buhari obtained in 1961.
However, events took a dramatic turn when a West African Examinations Council official, Osidehinde Adewunmi, testifying for Buhari, denied signing the Cambridge University Moderated Examination certificates produced by the President.
Adewunmi, who is WAEC’s Deputy Registrar, School Examinations in Nigeria, who appeared before the tribunal upon a subpoena issued on him by the tribunal at the instance of Buhari, confirmed that he certified the Cambridge University documents but admitted that they were not issued by WAEC. The mystery continues. Who therefore, is lying and who is not. Did the president lie on oath about having a certificate, and what happens if proven he doesn’t have one.
Headlines
Court Orders INEC to Publish Adebutu’s Name as Ogun PDP Governorship Candidate Within 24 Hours
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of Ladi Adebutu as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ogun State election within 24 hours.Judge Peter Lifu gave the order on Friday in a judgement following a suit filed by Mr Adebutu and the PDP to challenge INEC’s exclusion of his name from the final list of candidates for the upcoming 6 February 2027 governorship election.
He consequently declared the exclusion “unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.”
In resolving the issues raised by parties, Mr Lifu held that the power to nominate candidates for “elections rested solely with political parties.” He ruled that “Neither INEC nor any other authority could take over that responsibility.”
The judge faulted the commission for waiting more than four months before “belatedly publishing the final list on 10 October” without informing the plaintiffs of any intention to exclude their candidate.
He questioned INEC’s decision to raise the issue after the primary had been conducted and monitored, when it could have raised any concerns in its monitoring report.
Mr Lifu warned that allowing INEC to exercise such powers would amount to a “dangerous show of power”.
He said such authority could allow the commission to disqualify candidates only days before an election, adding that INEC did not possess absolute powers.
The judge also held that the membership register tendered before the court contained Mr Adebutu’s name against serial number 1536.
He said the evidence established that Mr Adebutu was a member of the PDP and that it was the political party, not INEC, that had the authority to determine its membership.
The judge questioned why INEC considered it its responsibility to determine who belonged to a political party, holding that the commission exceeded its powers by omitting Mr Adebutu’s name.
The dispute
The dispute followed the exclusion of Mr Adebutu and his running mate from the final list of candidates published by INEC for the 6 February 2027 Ogun State governorship election.
INEC published the final list on 10 October, featuring 13 governorship candidates but excluding the PDP from the race.
INEC said its decision followed the PDP’s alleged failure to comply with the membership register requirements under the Electoral Act 2026.
Section 77(5)–(7) of the Act requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC within the stipulated period. The provisions also empower the commission to scrutinise the registers.
In September, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the provisions in a case involving the Zenith Labour Party and INEC. The ruling affirmed the requirement for political parties to submit their membership registers before conducting valid primaries.
Following the exclusion, the PDP and Mr Adebutu approached the Federal High Court in Abuja in October, asking it to compel INEC to recognise him as the party’s governorship candidate.
The plaintiffs challenged the commission’s decision, arguing that it violated their right to fair hearing and breached provisions of the Electoral Act. They asked the court to set aside the decision and direct INEC to publish Mr Adebutu’s name as the party’s governorship candidate within 24 hours of its order.
INEC opposed the suit, maintaining that Mr Adebutu’s name was missing from the PDP membership register submitted to the commission. It therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit for being incompetent.
Source: Premium Times
Former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Pochettino would have an enormous task on his hands to revive a club that has never recovered from the departure of Alex Ferguson 13 years ago.
The Red Devils, once the dominant force in English football, have been overtaken by Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.
United’s next game is against fierce rivals Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.
President Bola Tinubu has rewarded each player of the Flamingos with a savings certificate worth N100 million, after the team became the first African nation to win the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, announced the awards at a reception at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja, where she represented the President.
The head coach is to receive N100 million in cash, while each member of the technical crew gets N50 million.
She praised the team for winning six consecutive matches, and for the humility, discipline and respect they showed after the final.
Senator Tinubu said the victory would inspire young girls and show that their ambitions can be realised on the world stage.
She also commended the coaches, technical and medical staff, administrators, parents and fans for their contributions.
The U-17 team won their first FIFA World Cup title after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final on November 7, with goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku securing the historic victory.
The Flamingos lost their opener 2-1 to Poland, but dominated in the remaining matches, defeating defending champions North Korea, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
Their first-ever appearance in the final was sealed with a 3-1 victory over Brazil, before taking home the trophy after beating Japan.
The players have received commendations from government officials and football fans around the world.
President Tinubu congratulated the Flamingos for becoming the first African team to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said he received the news upon his return from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.
He also described Nigeria’s maiden triumph as a proud moment for the country and a landmark achievement for African women’s football.
The Senate also pledged a N100 million reward for the Flamingos.
The pledge followed a motion moved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdul Ningi, who congratulated the players on their outstanding performance and commended the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for its role in the team’s achievement.
The latest feat by a Nigerian sports team came less than two years after the senior women’s football team, Super Falcons, won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco.
In 2025, the D’Tigress won a historic 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title.
