There appears to be a great anxiety by somes to assert and spread wrong conclusions arising from my two previous notes on the education of General Buhari. I have not said General Buhari did not attend Primary or Secondary Schools. He did. What I said and stand on, is that section 131(d) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution focuses not on certificates but on education. I repeat, for the avoidance of doubt, a certificate where available may well prove the education level of the citizen desirous of becoming President, but without it, he can still meet the education qualification by other modes of proof.
General Buhari met that proof before the eminent men and woman of the APC Screening Committee (A.S.C) He did that by affidavit evidence under oath and by interaction and reaction. The Screening Committee justly and rightly concluded that “he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or equivalent.
Those who refer to the disqualifying provisions of section 137(i) (j) … “he has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission “ to affirm that the Constitution requires a certificate are plainly wrong. In section 137 (1) (j) a citizen contestant who makes a false representation (“forged certificate”) to INEC stands disqualified. A citizen who presents no certificate cannot be disqualified by a “forged certificate”. The interest of section 137(1) (j) is in truth or falsehood not certificate.
Now my argument is not that General Buhari was or was not educated. It is that with all the certificates of any contestant, all that the constitution plainly requires in section 131(d) is a show that he has been educated up to the school certificate level or its equivalent not any particular certificate.
General Buhari is well educated. This is why he thinks well, speaks well, reads wells and interacts well on National issues. All you need do is listen to him in live interviews or conversation. Only yesterday I listened to the inspiring interview he gave when Nigeria turned 50.
General Buhari attended Primary School in Daura/Maiaduwa (1948 – 1952), Middle school, Katsina (1953 – 1956), Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College), Katsina (1956 -1961) Nigerian Military Training School, Kaduna and Cadet Officer Course Aldershot UK (1963) Platoon Commander Course, Military College Kaduna (1964), Army Transport School, Bordan, UK (1965), Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, India (1973-1974), U.S Army War College (1979 -1980).
General Buhari also displays an impressive Professional carrier. He was Platoon Commander (1964), Battalion Adjutant / Commander (1967) Brigade Major (1970), Commander, 31st infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (1972), Colonel, General Staff, 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters (1974) Military Governor, North East State (1976) Commissioner for Petroleum and Energy Resources (1976), Chairman, NNPC (1978), Military Secretary, Army Headquarters (1979), Member, Supreme Council (1979), GOC, 4th Infantry, 2nd Mech. Infantry, 3rd Armoured Division (1981-1983), Head of State and C-O-C (1983-1985), Chair PTF (1994-1999). I have only mentioned a few.
In addition to the above learnings, he has received impressive honors among which are, to mention a few, GCFR, CFR, Defence Service Medal, Congo Medal as well as D.Sc/LL.D (honoris causa) of the Univ. of Bauchi, Ilorin, Enugu State, Calabar, and Benue State.
The APC Screening Committee is expected to make intelligent decision within the context of the qualification requirement set out in section 131(d), that is, to decide whether General Muhammadu Buhari “has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.”
The APC Screening Committee rightly and intelligently decided that with or without the presentation of any certificates, his written profile, supported by his deposition put it beyond doubt that he has been educated beyond School Certificate Level or its equivalent.
Tunji Abayomi