President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team has asked
for the disqualification of the presidential candidate of the
All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, from
next month’s election.
In an address by its spokesperson, Femi Fani-Kayode, the
campaign team also accused the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, of deliberately allowing Mr.
Buhari to contest the February 14 election even after he
has ‘failed’ to meet the basic educational qualification
required to run.
Mr. Fani-Kayode, who addressed a press conference on
Saturday in Abuja, said the inability of Mr. Buhari to
present the minimum requirement of a school leaving
certificate questions his morals and other credentials for
pursuing the position of the president of Nigeria.
Mr. Buhari’s academic qualification generated controversy
recently after it emerged he submitted a sworn affidavit at
a Federal High Court, FCT, High Court Abuja to the effect
that all his academic qualifications were with the Secretary
of the Military Board.
His party, the APC, through its spokesperson, Lai
Mohammed, said Mr. Buhari lost original copies of his
credentials when his house was raided while he was in
detention; and that he had been using court affidavits since
then.
“General Muhammadu Buhari was in detention for over
three years; while in detention, captors raided his residence
and vandalised his property including certificates and
diplomas; and that consequently, after his release,
whenever the General is asked about his academic
qualifications, he would refer such bodies to the Military
Command, who has his service records including his
academic certificates,” Mr. Mohammed said in a chat with
Leadership Newspaper last weekend.
He also said Mr. Buhari had taken the same procedure for
the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections in which he was a
candidate.
Mr. Jonathan’s campaign team, however, said it is not
satisfied.
“Academic qualification is a threshold issue that cannot be
waived for any citizen no matter how highly-placed and
irrespective of whichever region such individual comes
from except as provided by the constitution,” Mr. Fani-
Kayode said.
The former minister cited Section 131 of the Nigerian
constitution which states that: “A person shall be qualified
for election to the office of President if: (a) He is a citizen
of Nigeria by birth (b) He has attained the age of forty
years(c) He is a member of a political party and is
sponsored by that political party; and (d) He has been
educated up to at least School certificate level or its
equivalent.”
Mr. Fani-Kayode said section 131 (d) is a specific
directional order for all candidates to show proof of
education up to a minimum standard not below school
certificate or its equivalent.
“But from what INEC has published, Buhari has not
submitted any personal particular of minimum school
leaving certificate for the 2015 election and, shockingly,
from INEC documents displayed in all constituencies, he
also did not submit anything in 2011 and never referred
the electoral umpire then to the Secretary of the Military
Board as well as previous elections he contested as
evidenced in all available INEC records until this current
discovery.
“If the constitution did not require proof, it would not
specify a minimum,” he said.
Electoral Act
The former Minister of Aviation added that the current
Electoral Act directs that proof of educational qualification
must be sworn to by each candidate at a Court under
Section 31 (ii) to (v).
He noted that for elections to the office of the president
and for the purpose of display of particulars of candidates
for all presidential elections, the entire country is taken as
one constituency.
“Nigerians that have perused the affidavit of nomination
as submitted by General Buhari and as published in all
INEC offices, as well as the copies of his similar INEC
documentations for 2011 election, could see clearly that
General Buhari who claims to be a man of integrity has
not been true to Nigerians.
“It can be seen, as indicated in section 31(6), that there are
reasonable grounds to believe that a false deponent was
declared in the affidavit where it indicates that all
documents relating to the personal particulars of General
Buhari are with the Secretary of the Military Board,” he
said.
He said in the form he filled for the 2015 election, Mr.
Buhari referred INEC to the Military Board for copies of his
educational qualification, even after Section C of the form
states that candidates should “attach evidence of all
educational qualifications.”
He also said it was curious that Mr. Buhari did not refer
INEC to the military board in 2011.
Mr. Fani-Kayode said the military board like any other
body does not keep or retain original copies of personal
particulars of individuals such as birth certificates,
passports, and academic credentials of any personnel,
especially retired personnel after over 3 decades.
“It must be stated that INEC erred in law by publishing the
name of a candidate without receiving the personal
particulars of the candidate within 7 days of receiving his
nomination forms as indicated in section 31(3),” he said.
“This is indeed a tragedy illustrating what Nigeria has
become, that an individual is so powerful that the law has
to be ignored to accommodate him.
“Certainly, INEC printed nomination forms or High Court
affidavits are, in no way or by any stretch of definitions,
the same as personal particulars such as school leaving
certificate.”
The former aviation minister said the Jonathan campaign is
convinced that Mr. Buhari “is not qualified to contest the
2015 presidential election.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/174654-nigeria2015-jonathan-wants-buhari-disqualified.html

They should leave the man already, Even if he has no certificates, It wouldn't be the first a certificateless person is holding a high position, Or is it
Enough of all these Certificates this...certificates that, If PDP is certain they can beat him at the polls, Then Let them allow this issue die down. Simple

But I have to say this, I don't support this a bit. Buhari should have applied for those certificates to be replaced, come on!!....For 30 years now.

yawns* na today Tcheeew

.

LMAO

GEJ thought this was PDP child's play where he would be the sole candidate.

On d 3 previous attempts, PDP did nt fight for GMB's disqualification on acct of certificate.


Now when jungle mature, they want to play this childish card.

If u have a problem with GMB's eligibility, go to court.

Proceed to the court then

Kx:
GEJ thought this was PDP child's play where he would be the sole candidate.

On d 3 previous attempts, PDP did nt fight for GMB's disqualification on acct of certificate.


Now when jungle mature, they want to play this childish card.

If u have a problem with GMB's eligibility, go to court.

So correct

okay

Oga Jona, Go to court.

Dis pdp are seriously afraid of apc hmmmmmmmm let me tell you,god is ready for change and that is why he brought out buhari. If you don't like it go and died. Don't you see how his suporters are increasing everyday and night.atleast 90 percent are with buhari

let my GMB be d president, then we look at d certificate issue later, abi? shea i talk your mind ko? sai GMB

So PDP dey fear like this?

Oga Jona. Look at d man beside you. Does he have a certificate? D guy don use am smoke Mary J and now claimin it got burnt in a fire

He has adviced us accordingly. Vote wisely

PDP has become jittery

Iڪ it FFK again? Next person pls......

Hmm... coming from man with a truckload of perfect imperfections.
Disqualify ke? FFK why not ask INEC to just go ahead and declare your oga the winner of the election yet to be conducted.
Orishirishi.

thrash! even G. MB has no cert, I prefer him to gej.
All these presidency spokespersons are just so lame.

apart from the fact that Buhari definitely went to those schools credited to him, Good luck has over time proven that having a big cert is not determinant of ones intellect. my mum didn't go to school but speaks better English than pej. she is even more intelligent.

GMB/PYO till GEJ graduate from Gbagaun Academy.

Kx:
GEJ thought this was PDP child's play where he would be the sole candidate.

On d 3 previous attempts, PDP did nt fight for GMB's disqualification on acct of certificate.


Now when jungle mature, they want to play this childish card.

If u have a problem with GMB's eligibility, go to court.

GBAM GBAM GBAM!!!

[size=18pt]we need online digital clock to see how long it takes GMB/APC to submit Buhari's 1st school leaving certificate[/size]

FFK? I guess this ediot will demand for Bianca pants soon. ewu