Buhari Doesn’t Need WAEC Certificate to Become President, Says Keyamo
– Keyamo says a presidential or governorship candidate does not need a WAEC certificate to contest an election.
– He says submission of a forged result to INEC as a candidate is an offence.
Festus Keyamo, the Director, Strategic Communications of President Buhari Campaign Organization (PBCO) has said that a candidate doesn’t need to have a West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate to become a president or governor in the country according to the constitutional provision.
Keyamo, a constitutional lawyer, who stated this on Monday via Twitter page said that other levels of qualifications to run for the office of president is if the person in question has been an occupant of a public office for a reasonable length of time, based on the Constitutional provision, he didn’t even need a WAEC certificate to become president of the country.
His response appears to be a reaction to an argument raised by the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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The party had argued that President Muhammadu Buhari didn’t half the education qualification to contest for the office of the president based on the controversies surrounding his WAEC certificate.
Ademola Adeleke, a serving lawmaker, who contested the Osun state governorship election last year under the platform of the PDP and lost to Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing certificate saga in court as well.
He has been sued and there had been two judgement one which went against him but won the case on appeal after being sued by some APC members over his certificate status.
Speaking on Adeleke’s issue, Keyamo who explained that school leaving certificate or its equivalent according to Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution, said if a forged certificate is presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), such aspirant will be disqualified.
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President Buhari had gone through the same legal rigour before it was proven that he is qualified for presidency and was presented with attestation of the result by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) board after claiming that his credentials were with the military board.
See Keyamo’s tweets below.
Yes. Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution defines “School Certificate or its equivalent” to mean primary 6 School Leaving Certificate plus the ability to just speak, write, understand and communicate in English language to the satisfaction of INEC. No WAEC certificate is needed https://t.co/kUMUCZbF5i
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 14, 2019
By the definition of “School Certificate or its equivalent” in section 318 of the 1999 const. u don’t need a WAEC certificate to become President or Governor, but if you present a FORGED WAEC or other certificate to INEC for any office you will be disqualified. #OsunStateScenario
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 15, 2019
Forgery occurs when the supposed author of a document denies ever making it or denies its authenticity. WAEC has confirmed the authenticity of PMB’s certificate by issuing an attestation of it. Case closed. In #OsunCaseScenario WAEC has denied the authenticity. See d difference?
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 15, 2019
Let me end my free lecture series by saying that the crux of the matter is that if you don’t have a WAEC certificate, there’s no need to go ahead & forge one in a bid to be Governor or President. You can still be qualified, regardless. That’s the mistake made in #OsunCaseScenario
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) April 15, 2019
