The Nigerian Army on Tuesday said the Service is not in possession of neither the original nor the certified true copy certificates of a former Head of State and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammdu Buhari.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Olajide Laleye, however, said the NA Form 199A at the point of documentation after commission as an officer indicated that the former head of state “obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 with credits in relevant subjects: English Language, Geography, History, Health Science, Hausa and a pass in English Literature.
“However, neither the original copy, Certified True Copy (CTC) nor statement of result of Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s WASC result is in his personal file,” he said.
Laleye stated further that, “Records available indicate that Major General M Buhari applied to join the military as a Form Six student of the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina on October 18, 1961.
“His application was duly endorsed by the Principal of the school, who also wrote a report on him and recommended him to be suitable for military commission.
“It is a practice in the NA that before candidates are shortlisted for commissioning into the officers’ cadre of the Service, the Selection Board verifies the original copies of credentials that are presented.
“However, there is no available record to show that this process was followed in the 1960s”.
The Army spokesperson said the Service holds the APC presidential candidate in very high esteem and respect and would not be a party to any controversy surrounding his eligibility for any political office.
