Any African, who hates Nigeria,
probably hates the entire black race. We are very unique in multiple nuances.
In academics, various fields of specialties have the impressive footprints of
Nigerians.
In crimes, we have proved again
and again that its sophistry is our exclusive reserve. We have gone to bestial
limits where we proudly delight in plotting mass murders of our own kith and
kin, or extermination of whole communities for political gains. We no longer
dread the sight of blood.
We go paranoid in the worship of
God; but demonstrate through words and actions, the unbridgeable gulf about the
basic tenets of religiosity. Very richly endowed in politics, we experiment
democracy in a manner that compels political scientists around the world into weekly
researches to demystify our complex political mysteries.
Nigerians are world acclaimed
masters of partisan politics. But, we loath progressive democratic traits and
concepts, such as development or issue-based campaigns, innovative ideas,
positive leadership character and integrity. But we endlessly adore the
negative concepts, with edifying slogans.
So, opponents are only good for
application of negative partisan concepts like physical or character
assassination, arm-twisting, thuggery, blackmail, political vendetta,
mudslinging, sentimentalism, ethnicity, sectionalism, regionalism, religiosity,
hate speeches and campaigns of calumny.
Incumbent President Muhammadu
Buhari (PMB) is once again under the fire of opposition politicians, partisan
spin doctors, Mr. fixers and their minions. Now, like in 2014, the heat against
President Buhari in 2018 is not on what else he would do for Nigerians, if
reelected in 2019. It is not about his WAEC certificate. So, every Nigerian has
become a WAEC or INEC officer.
And we have demonstrated enough
of our very poor grasp of the issue. While we are asking PMB for WAEC
certificate he obtained in 1961 from Government College, Katsina. But the real
nomenclature of the certificate is Cambridge West African School Certificate,
(WASC). He also earned it from Provincial Secondary School, Katsina; not
Government College.
However, it is part of the
deliberate confusion, we create to religiously exploit the system and extort
money from our unconscionable pay masters. We insistently drum into their ears,
how we have launched the "battles" against their rivals and such
debasing blathers.
It's all more interesting, the
progression of this ranting about Buhari's certificate. In 2003, when PMB vied
against former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ), Buhari's WASC ( or is it
WAEC) certificate was not a sentimental issue. Same in 2007 and 2011. In 2014
it became an issue because Buhari was contesting against a PDP incumbent
President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who felt chillingly intimidated and
threatened by Buhari's presidential candidature.
Therefore, we exhumed it and made
a mountain out of a molehill. But it was Buhari's saving grace. Former
President Goodluck Jonathan, had all the powers and authority in the world to
expose Buhari's "faked"or non-possession of a secondary school
certificate, to shame and ridicule him out of the contest. But both open and secret
investigations, failed to yield the fruitful results pleaded.
Some PDP hirelings and apologists
went to court and challenged Buhari over his 1961 WASC qualification. A legal
practitioner, Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe played the spoil master. But as the case
progressed in an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, presided over by
Justice Adeniyi Ademola, the plaintiff voluntarily withdrew the suit. And it
was struck out for obvious reasons.
This action was initiated after
the Buhari's alma mater, Government College, (formerly, Provincial Secondary
School), Katsina officially confirmed that he indeed, sat for WASC exams in
1961 and obtained a certificate. It was released with grades.
A Premium Times exclusive report,
dated January 21, 2015 explicitly states that the medium, "... obtained
the computer printout from Cambridge University as well as a statement of
result, signed by the current principal of Katsina College, dated January 21,
2015... The Cambridge print out also shows the result of 17 other candidates at
the centre, including Shehu Yar'Adua, a former Chief of Staff, Supreme
Headquarters."
The antagonists' could not go any
further. These are facts in public domain; trashed and conclusively confined to
the dustbin of history more than four years ago.
But we are back at it again just
to keep ourselves excitedly busy on the politicking plane, poking at hard
facts, we can never ever crack. The failure of Buhari's traducers to claim Mr.
President has presented a forged certificate has spurred fresh anger, just to
find something to hold against him.
They have wonderfully ignored the
strength of submissions of Nigeria's legal luminaries, affirming and
reaffirming the qualification of PMB to vie for the office of President of
Nigeria in 2019.
Provisions of the 1999
Constitution on who is qualified to vie for the office of President of Nigeria
are contained in Section: 131 and the issue of academic or other qualifications
are clearly defined in Section: 318 (1) of the same Constitution, which have
not passed a verdict of guilt on Buhari.
It therefore, changed the
narrative from legal requirements to morality. I imagine who has vetoed PDP
from approaching WASC successor body in Nigeria, WAEC , to confirm the truth or
falsehood of the certificate? There are a dozen emergency activists and artificial
organizations' they would have hired to execute the assignment. But they are
hesitant. Why? Is PDP not prepared to present incontrovertible evidence that
PMB has no certificate?
These critics know, when the
military junta of IBB ousted Buhari as Nigeria's military Head of State in
1984, he was dumped into detention for months, by orders of the military
government. His private residence was raided and personal documents, including
certificates' carted away by the military government.
The action was spurred by the
zeal to find something incriminating against Buhari. They found nothing, but
never returned his seized documents.
PDP and its acolytes are free to
make all the noise on certificate. But PMB has not applied to serve as PDP's
BoT chairman or its President. He is seeking to continue leadership of Nigeria
and Nigerians. This propaganda has failed flatly like others before now.
Only PDP knows PMB is too old,
frail and weak with health challenges to continue to lead Nigeria.
Those who chant PMB's religious
fanaticism and bigotry to indict his character and integrity are usually
dumfounded when he pays a visit to the Anglican Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, the
Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, each time he is in United
Kingdom (UK).
There are more Muslim Mayors in
UK than you can find Emirs in Nigeria. But he visits none, preferring to hobnob
with a Christian cleric, who is also his best of personal friends around the
world.
As a Nigerian and like millions
of others, we prefer to again, vote for a leader of integrity, even if he
flaunts NEPA bill as certificate. Its better than mortgaging our destinies and
future in the hands of known capitalist cum political ones, whose only
occupation is feasting on national treasury. PDP! May you know that in 2019,
and in spite of your noises, we will still overwhelmingly vote for President
Buhari.
By Josephine Odoh
Odoh writes from the United
Kingdom
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