Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has provided an explanation for the former leader’s reluctance to disclose his WAEC results from the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
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In his book “Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media, and Publicity (2015–2023),” Adesina disclosed that Buhari claimed he withheld his West African School Certificate on purpose in order to “please themselves” and “those venting spleen on it.”
Buhari’s refusal to provide the Independent National Electoral Commission with his educational credentials in the lead-up to the 2019 general elections provoked more public outrage.
After making the same justification in 2015, Buhari said that the Secretary of the Military Board held all of his credentials.
But as can be seen in a video uploaded on his assistant Bashir Ahmad’s verified X handle, in November 2018, Buhari received a Letter of Attestation from West African Examination Council officials.
Buhari was reported in the book’s chapter 5 as stating that, at some point in 2018, “I was going through a drawer some days ago, and saw copies of my certificate.” It was always there, but I never let it out so people who were taking out their frustrations on it could have what they wanted.
In the book, Buhari reaffirmed that “had I not taken the WASC examinations in 1961, I would not have been able to attend the Defence Services Staff College, India (1973) and subsequently, United States Army War College, as a Nigerian military officer.”
The former military commander continued in the book to recount that he attended elementary, secondary, and military schools with a former comrade, Gen. Musa Yar’adua.
“When we intended to join the military, my colleagues and I—including Gen. Musa Yar’adua—who spent close to nine years in boarding school for both primary and secondary education, had to take a military examination,” said Buhari.
“We have also disclosed the total number of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) obtained in each Polling Unit, as well as the number of registered voters.
“Other ICCES members will be given access to the same information during this meeting. The revised data will also be posted for public consumption right away following this meeting on the Commission’s website and social media accounts.
In order for us to deploy people and materials, as well as to protect observers, the media, and the polling and collation agents who represent the political parties and candidates, it is your duty as security agency to ensure that the surrounding area is secure. Credible elections run the risk of not taking place in a safe and tranquil setting.
He continued, saying, “We were tested in three areas: general knowledge, mathematics, and English. This is because English is the language used for general education across the nation due to our colonial past.
In the military, geography and mathematics were essential. We were taught how to find our way and calculate, using the Pythagorean Theorem and other formulas to determine our position, should we find ourselves abandoned in the middle of nowhere with just a pair of compasses. We are not astronomers.
The book by Adesina also disclosed how Buhari resisted the pressure to remove Godwin Emefiele, the troubled governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, due to rumours that he was running for president in the most recent general election in 2023.
Additionally, Buhari was cited as saying that, rather than executing Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra, he would prefer to extradite him to stand prosecution in Nigeria.
In the book, Buhari stated that it was preferable to extradite Kanu to Nigeria than to mobilise forces to kill him.
