Buhari to Atiku: Produce Your Credentials
President
Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party
(PDP), candidate to produce and tender his educational certificates, indicating
the schools attended by him, with dates. The challenge was one of the planks of
Buhari’s response to Abubakar’s petition at the Presidential Election Tribunal.
In the filing by a team of lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Buhari
debunked Atiku’s and PDP’s claim that he was not qualified to run for
President. The President said he was far more qualified than Atiku and on the
contrary, it was Atiku that was not qualified to run for the office. Buhari
said he did not, “at any time, provide any false information in Form CF00]
submitted to the lst respondent, either in 2014 or 2018.
“The affidavit of compliance to the
2019 Form CF001 was correct in every material particular. “In filling Form
CF001 in 2014 and 2019, respondent was not oblivious of the constitutional
qualifications stipulated in Section 131 of the Constitution and interpreted in
Section 318 of the same Constitution.
“Petitioners themselves are also not
oblivious of the fact that respondent possesses far more than the
constitutional threshold expected for a candidate contesting for the office of
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The respondent avers that he is
far more qualified, both constitutionally and educationally, to contest and
occupy the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria than the 1st
petitioner (Atiku); and that in terms of educational qualifications, trainings
and courses attended, both within and outside Nigeria, he is head and shoulder
above the 1st petitioner in terms of acquisition of knowledge, certificates,
laurels, medals and experience. “Respondent states further that it is the 1st
petitioner, who is not qualified to contest the office of President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, and challenges the educational credentials and
certificates of the 1st petitioner. “1st petitioner is hereby given notice to
produce and tender his educational certificates, indicating the schools
attended by him, with dates.” The President gave his educational resume as:
“Elementary School, Daura and Maid’adua (1948 – 1952), Middle School, Katsina
(1953-1956, Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College,
Katsina (1956-1961).” Buhari faulted the entire petition filed by the PDP and
Atiku,noting that they are more about pre-election issues, which the Court of
Appeal, sitting as a tribunal lacked jurisdiction.
He also argued that the
petitioners told lies against themselves in the petition and made conflicting
claims which the tribunal cannot grant. Buhari noted that while the petitioners
claimed to have won the last presidential election and also won elections in
many states in the Southsouth and Southeastern part of the country, they also
urged the court to nullify the election and order a fresh presidential
election. Buhari argued that by virtue of Section of 137of the Electoral Act,
petitioners cannot question the results of elections in states where they claim
to have won and still retain themselves as petitioners. Buhari faulted the
petitioners’ claim that the election was marred by corrupt practices and
substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The President also faulted
the petitioners’ claim that they won the election, insisting that, by the
result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he
and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the last presidential
election election. He asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds
that the reliefs the petitioners sought by the petitioners are frivolous. “The
entire reliefs are not justifiable, as the petitioners, who claim to have
scored majority of lawful votes in substantial number of states, are also
questioning their own return in those states. “The petitioners cannot act as
petitioners and respondents in the same petition. “The alternative relief
sought is self-defeating, apart from being frivolous.
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