In an apparent move to puncture the 2015 presidential bid of General Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sometime ago, raised the alarm that Buhari's academic qualifications were not on display, unlike those of other presidential candidates including that of his main rival, President Goodluck Jonathan of the (PDP).
But Buhari in responding, explained the reason behind his inability to submit his credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Buhari specifically insisted in an affidavit he deposed to before an Abuja High Court, that his credentials are still with the Secretary of the Military board.
In the said affidavit dated November 24, 2014, the APC presidential candidate maintained that, "I am the above-named person and deponent to this affidavit therein.
"All my academic qualifications documents as filled in my presidential form, President APC/001/2015, are currently with the Secretary, Military Board, as of the time of presenting this affidavit.
"The affidavit is made in good faith and for record purpose."
Evidently not satisfied with Buhari's submission, prominent Lagos based radical lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome on Friday in Abuja put up a challenge that the APC presidential candidate should come out and show his credentials to Nigerians.
The senior lawyer even went ahead to insist that Buhari ought not to have become a president during the military era if due process was followed.
In the words of Ozekhome, "As a matter of fact, Buhari now telling Nigerians he wants to become a president is uncalled for.
"He was there as a military president; what did he do? We cannot go backward as a nation. If Buhari is sure that his certificates are with military, let him go and tender them to Nigerians.
"Or, all he needs to do is to attach the photocopy of his documents to his form, and if there is any question to be asked, you can refer to the places where you went to school.
"Mind you, not the military board, we are talking under the section 1 (31) of the constitution, that the candidate must have not below school certificate level, or its equivalent, and its equivalent means GCE, WASC, NECO etc.
"Now, if you do not have any of these qualifications, what you will do is to appear to WAEC or NECO, and say my certificates are lost, burnt or stolen by armed robbers; telling the authority that you want them to issue you a letter certifying that you are qualified.
"That was what happened in the case of Vice President Namadi Sambo, because I followed the case very seriously. I am interested in how we can expand the space, deepen, and widen the aptitude of democracy.
"An affidavit will not help in this matter; an affidavit sworn to at the court under section 31 is simply to say that, I strongly believe, that this documents are submitted and this forms are properly completed and are in accordance with my best intention to the best of my knowledge.
"An affidavit is not the cure or physical substitute nor a replacement for the physical availability of the document nor does it take the place of the INEC form CF001 08."
It is clear from the fore-going, that the competence of the APC presidential candidate to rule the country is being challenged. Where is Buhari all this while to have made moves to get the original of his credentials, does he expect anyone to make this moves for him including the INEC?
Unfortunately, the crop of leaders in this country are so shameless and never cared for what they ought to because they feel they can always get anything they wanted in the country.
It is painful, that there are so many qualified people out there with even better qualifications. But the likes of Buhari will never allow them to see the light of the day.
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