The controversy surrounding President Muhammadu Buhari’s academic credentials has been revived with the president’s inability to present his academic credentials to the nation’s electoral body.
The credentials of presidential candidates were made available to journalists on Thursday, October 25, 2018 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
President Buhari, again, failed to attach necessary supporting documents, insisting that they were in the custody of the military.
“I am the above named person and the deponent of this affidavit herein. All my academic qualification documents as filled in my Presidential form, APC/001/2015 are currently with the Secretary of the Military Board as of the time of this affidavit,” an affidavit sworn by the former military rule read.
The presidential flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar submitted all relevant documents with a diploma in law obtained in 1960 from Ahmadu Bello University being his highest academic credential.
The former vice president also attached tax returns indicating that he had paid N10.8m in tax from 2015 to 2017 while declaring his income within the period as N60.2m.
The two leading possible third party challengers, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, presented his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, while former Governor Donald Duke presented his law degree from Ahmadu Bello University.
The failure of President Buhari to present the minimum qualification for the office of the president, which is a secondary school leaving certificate, the West African School Certificate, WAESC, generated controversy during his run for president in 2015 and has continued to trail his presidency.
Over 70 out of the 91 political parties are presenting presidential candidates that will participate in the 2019 Presidential elections.
Punch reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday, October 25, 2018 had confirmed receiving the necessary forms of 70 political parties.
Some of the candidates include: President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Zenith Labour Party, and former Governor Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party.
“So far, over 70 candidates have been counted. A more comprehensive list will be published on Friday,” an official of the electoral body told journalists. There are indications that the final count may be more than 70.