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updated 10:20 AM UTC, Dec 13, 2023

School Certificate: Court To Decide On Buhari Eligibility For 2019 Presidential Election

Unic Press UK: There’s a case – No. FHC/U18/1765/18 – before a Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, by which, one Itsede Kingsley Okhai is praying the court to determine the eligibility of the incumbent Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to contest the forthcoming 2019 Presidential Election.

In the case, which is between the plaintiff Itsede Kingsley Okhai and two defendants Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Okhai is asking the court to:

  • Determine whether having regards to the provision of Section 131 (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which provides for the least educational qualification to hold the office of the President of Nigeria, the 1st defendant Buhari is qualified to stand as a presidential candidate for the 2019 General Election when he has yet to provide evidence of his educational qualification.
  • Determine whether having regards to the provision of Section 31 (1), (2) and (5) of the Electoral Act, Cap 15, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010 and INEC Form CF 001, which stipulates the conditions to be complied with in the submission of a list of candidates and affidavits to INEC [the 2nd defendant], the 1st defendant Buhari has complied with the said law and with INEC’s Form CF 001 when he failed to attach evidence of his educational qualification to the said INEC Form CF 001 for the purpose of the 2019 presidential election.

When the issue of President Buhari school certificate came to the fore prior to the 2015 Presidential Election, it was revealed that he had deposed via an affidavit, saying:

“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.”

In a statement issued on Friday last week, the National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, called on President Buhari to to fulfil his obligation like other presidential candidates, instead of bugging the commission with affidavits by presenting his academic documents.

“The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) charges President Muhammadu Buhari to show proof of his vaunted integrity by presenting his academic documents, if he has any, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and put to an end his certificate saga. The PDP also urges President Buhari to fulfil his obligation like other presidential candidates, instead of bugging the commission with affidavits.” (Kola Ologbondiyan)

The certificate issue has reached another serious level with the PDP issuing several notes of caution to the Nigeria electoral body INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu on the issue of Buhari not submitting his school certificate as stipulated by law.

 

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