Buhari thanks WAEC for upholding integrity as he receives his result

…Says it’s impossible to attend US Army War College, DSSC India without WASC in 1961
…Buhari’s WAEC certificate, tragicomedy, ridiculous – PDP
President Muhammadu Buhari has received the attestation and confirmation of his 1961 West African School Certificate (WASC) Examination result from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The documents were presented to the President on Friday at the State House during a courtesy visit by a delegation of WAEC led by its Registrar, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, accompanied by Olutise Adenipekun, Head, National Office, WAEC, Abiodun Aduloju, Head Public Affairs, WAEC and Olufemi Oke, Zonal Coordinator, WAEC Abuja.

The President thanked the examination board, established in 1952, and which conducts the WASC examination for University and JAMB entry examination in West African countries, for upholding its integrity over the years, adding that he did not expect anything less from the institution.

Buhari said that it would have been impossible for him to have attended the Defence Services Staff College, India (1973) and thereafter, United States Army War College, as a Nigerian military officer, if he didn’t sit for the WASC examinations in 1961.

The President recounted that during his secondary school days, it was very difficult to commit examination fraud, even though it was not impossible.

He said, ”My colleagues and I who spent close to nine years in boarding school both in primary and secondary, including Gen. Musa Yar’Adua, when we intended to join the military, we had to take a military examination.

”We were examined in three subjects, English, Mathematics and General Knowledge because English is the language for general instruction throughout the country because of our colonial heritage.

”Mathematics in the military was necessary, coupled with Geography. We were trained how to be dropped off in the bush, given only a pair of compass and since we were not astronomers, you have to learn to find your way, calculate, using the Pythagoras Theorem and others to work out your position.”

In his remarks, the Registrar said it was possible for candidates to lose their examination certificates through fire and any other unfortunate incident.

”We don’t issue certificates twice but we can issue attestations or duplicate copy of the certificate.

”We also have what we refer to as confirmation; usually, universities were using this in those days when Information Technology was not in vogue.

”Whoever sat for WASC exams in whatever year, we have the records in our database, and Mr. President, we have the records of the examinations you sat in 1961.

”We have the attestation of results which we issue to candidates who lost their certificates and confirmation of results,’’ Dr. Uwadiae said.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as ridiculous, tragic and comedy, the presentation of what was called WAEC Attestation certificate, to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Friday.

The party expressed shock at the Presidency’s mere calling of whatever certificate that was presented to Buhari as ‘attestation’.

In his reaction, PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party stand by its position that the President has no school certificate.

“What are they attesting to? We stand by our position that Mr. President has no school certificate. It’s simply a political certificate. We have said that the Buhari presidency and his handlers are always fretting at the mention of a certificate.

“If Mr. President has a certificate, why did he not use it in 2015 election? Why is the certificate suddenly emerging few months to the election?” he asked.

Questioning the veracity of Buhari’s claim, he asked: “Have you checked the photograph that was attached to the certificate? In 1961, was it the requirement of WAEC to have a passport attached to school certificate?

“Even in our own generation, was a condition in WAEC that you must submit your passport to be attached to your certificate?”

The party recalled the procured Martin Luther Award presented to the president which it claimed was later discovered to be fake, adding that the so-called certificate is a similar award which was procured.