Army breaks silence, says "We don’t have original copy of Buhari’s result"

The Nigerian Army denied being in possession of the academic certificates of the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, following requests by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and a civil rights group for the former Head of State to tender his academic particulars to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).



At a briefing in Abuja, the outgoing Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Olajide Laleye noted that the army only has a Form 199A, that was filled at the point of entry as well as some letters of recommendation by the Principal of Provincial Secondary School, Katsina. He said that “The Nigerian Army does not have the original copy of his West African Examination Council result or a Certified True Copy”.
“Records available indicate that Major General Muhammadu Buhari applied to join the military as a Form Six student of the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina on 18 October 1961. His 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”.
He showed journalists the report which  read, “I recommend Mohammadu Buhari fit for military commission” and on the issue of the General's result, the Principal wrote, “I consider that he will pass Maths, English and 3 other subjects”.

Laleye noted that the briefing was necessitated by requests from civil society groups and the media for clarification over Buhari’s eligibility to contest the February 14 presidential election. He said “It is a practice in the Nigerian Army 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 Nigerian Army 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 Muhammadu Buhari’s WASC result is in his personal file. What I have said here is what is contained in his service records, personal file. We have not added anything nor subtracted anything” .
Earlier, Brig-General Laleye said, “Let me state clearly that 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 his eligibility for any political office. Suffice to state that Major General Buhari rose steadily to the enviable rank of Major General before becoming head of state of our dear country in December 1983”.

The former military Head of State earlier submitted a sworn affidavit to the electoral umpire, INEC stating that he his eligible to contest the 2015 presidential elections and his academic particulars were with the Nigerian Army Military Secretary’s office.