Buhari: One Nation, Two Moralities (THE REPUBLIC) By Shaka Momodu What started in hushed whispers and was quickly dismissed with incredulity as a mere beer parlour talk coming from idle minds, appears to be gradually turning into a scandal of monumental proportions that goes to the very heart of the Nigerian nation, barely three weeks to a crucial presidential election in which the person in question is a candidate. The more I wish the scandal goes away, the more intriguing and resilient it becomes. I was very reluctant to make this intervention on the raging scandal concerning whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, possesses a secondary school certificate or not. But the more I ignore the controversy, the more worrisome the General’s attempt to so casually dismiss the grave allegations of possible fraud in his academic qualifications. The situation is murky, lurid and embarrassing with grave implications for the military and the country, and no one is providing proper clarity amid the smog of dust raised. An otherwise straightforward issue is being explained in riddles, presumptions and evasive suppositions about a sterling military career which no one is in doubt of anyway. The doubt, however, comes from the foundation on which the referenced career was built. I have even read in some quarters that he holds a diploma certificate from United States Army War College. Well, to those arguments, I say as it is said in legal parlance, ex nihilo nihil fit, which means, something cannot stand on nothing or better still, something can only stand on something. The constitutional qualification for a candidate to be eligible to stand for presidential election is a minimum of secondary school certificate or its equivalent. Otherwise, that person is deemed ineligible. As things stand now, Buhari’s eligibility is being questioned and all we get are emotive career profile responses spanning a lifetime, rising to the very pinnacle of the military as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The question now is: has the APC presidential candidate met this all important constitutional requirement? The nation is yet to get a concrete answer to this question. Buhari’s first public statement at a press conference on the issue on Sunday failed to clear the air surrounding his academic records. If anything, it has added fuel to the raging fire. His argument that he has contested thrice before is unacceptable. He must go beyond the polemics and provide the necessary evidence about his certificate. In a sworn affidavit earlier, the General did attest that his credentials and academic records were with the Military Board. That was the first curious move about the unfolding drama. Where are his original academic documents? As far as I know, no institution collects original certificates from a candidate for keepsake. The only copies collected by institutions and employers of labour are photocopies; original documents are only brought for sighting and then returned to the candidate. I, for instance, have my original academic documents. It is preposterous to say anyone will surrender his/her original academic certificates to an institution or an employer knowing full well that his/her entire life isn’t dependent on that institution. In any case, even if it was dependent on it, original certificates are your personal assets earned after being found worthy in character and learning. Even the most rabid supporters of the General know that original academic records are never given to institutions or employers; they are kept by the owner. I have spoken to few military officers in the last couple of days about the on-going macabre drama. They told me they have their original academic records with them. The question now is: why is Buhari’s case different? Can any of Buhari’s supporters whose original certificates are with his/her employer raise up his/her hand and be counted? Okay, let’s
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 07:28:09 +0000
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