The West Africa School Certificate (WASC) is the basic (minimum) requirement or qualification that a prospective presidential hopeful must possess to be eligible to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In other words, any qualification post-WASC is equally acceptable in meeting the constitutional benchmark. In addition, if a candidate possesses other valid qualifications post-WASC, then the question of the validity or otherwise of the basic qualification (WASC) is moot. And with regards to the eligibility of the affected candidate to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, no third party can question the validity or authenticity of the basic qualification (WASC) any longer, because it is now supplanted by more advanced credentials.
The only institutions that can question the validity or authenticity of the basic qualification are those institutions that awarded all the post WASC qualifications, in that case, on the ground of forgery. And in the absence of any form of forgery of the basic qualification on the part of the affected candidate during the admission process, then, once again, the question of his qualification or eligibility to run for the post of the President is moot. Because all the other credentials post WASC are on solid ground.
In addition, even if the affected candidate did not possess the basic/minimum qualification (WASC); nevertheless, was able to secure admission into those institutions post WASC through “other means,” and those “other means” were credible, legitimate and acceptable to those institutions when made, there is nothing anyone can do about that. As long as the adopted process of admission is an acceptable standard to those institutions, no third party can question the validity or otherwise of the advanced qualifications awarded post-WASC by those institutions. You can litigate the process, not the award. Even then, you must first have a valid cause of action - directly affected or adversely impacted by the admission process - to be able to file a suit; otherwise, no court will hear your case.
Every institution all over the world has its own policy with respect to eligibility or admissibility of potential candidates. In Nigeria, it is the Federal Character or Quota System. In the US, it is Affirmative Action.
In 1985 I scored 266 at the Joint Matriculation Examination (JME) to study Law at the University of Ife. And I was denied admission, because of my state of origin. Even though the “cut-off marks” for that particular year for most other candidates was 200 - 250, I was told that they "shoot" up the “cut-off marks” for the then Bendel State candidates to 270 for obvious reason. If they apply the same standard across the board, more than half of the students matriculating that year would be of the then Bendel State origin. So, they had no other alternative, but to raise the score of Bendel State candidates. In the instant case, both the Federal Character and Quota System were applied in disqualifying us. I cried, and I moved on.
That is Nigeria for you, for me, and for every one of us. And I think Federal Character, true federalism, decentralization, restructuring, and religion should have been the most dominant issues in this campaign. Sadly, they are not.
Does General Buhari accept the fact that Nigeria is a secular state? To what extent is he at accord with the basic manifestos of his own political party? Is free education acceptable to him in line with APC's new thinking?
The issue really is not and shouldn't be his eligibility, but his electability in light of his very extreme public pronouncements on religious issues and the troubling north-south divide over the years that he doesn't know how to overcome.
Is Buhari running to restore power to the grieving Arewas, who felt marginalized by the sudden death of President Yar'Adua? Or he is championing a true revolution to rescue Nigeria from his fellow ruling class and to save it from imminent collapse?
How authentic is a revolution or change when Obasanjo and IBB are now some of his new followers? Hopefully, these questions will find credible answers during the Presidential debate.
At the moment, the irrepressible Mr. Femi Fani Kayode is on a frolic, busy depleting his campaign funds and precious time, waging a futile battle, with a view to disqualifying General Buhari on bogus premise. It won't happen.
If you think a man who rose to the position of a General in the Nigerian Armed Forces is not qualified to run for the office of the President of Nigeria, you are delusional. He was a General, and he served the nation gallantly. How he got it is immaterial.
Without mincing words, General Buhari is eminently qualified to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the apex court will not HEAR any case instituted to contest his qualification or eligibility. The earlier PDP and Femi Fani Kayode concentrate on issues (what they have done and what they intend to do if elected) the better for the party.
In sum, did General Buhari attend other Schools or Military Institutions after his WASC? Yes. Did he forge his WASC to secure admission to those other institutions? There is no proof of that. Was he admitted to those institutions on the strength of his prior academic background, recommendations, and other factors acceptable to those institutions? Yes. Did he successfully complete those post-WASC studies? There is no proof he did not. Case close.
The issue right now is not whether General Buhari meets the educational benchmark, but whether he is conversant with the latest developments in our educational sector – managing students’ unrest, domesticating almajiris population, and keeping ASUU on campus. Nigerians deserve better; it is high time we elevate the scope of our presidential campaign – making it substantially issue-oriented.
The only institutions that can question the validity or authenticity of the basic qualification are those institutions that awarded all the post WASC qualifications, in that case, on the ground of forgery. And in the absence of any form of forgery of the basic qualification on the part of the affected candidate during the admission process, then, once again, the question of his qualification or eligibility to run for the post of the President is moot. Because all the other credentials post WASC are on solid ground.
In addition, even if the affected candidate did not possess the basic/minimum qualification (WASC); nevertheless, was able to secure admission into those institutions post WASC through “other means,” and those “other means” were credible, legitimate and acceptable to those institutions when made, there is nothing anyone can do about that. As long as the adopted process of admission is an acceptable standard to those institutions, no third party can question the validity or otherwise of the advanced qualifications awarded post-WASC by those institutions. You can litigate the process, not the award. Even then, you must first have a valid cause of action - directly affected or adversely impacted by the admission process - to be able to file a suit; otherwise, no court will hear your case.
Every institution all over the world has its own policy with respect to eligibility or admissibility of potential candidates. In Nigeria, it is the Federal Character or Quota System. In the US, it is Affirmative Action.
In 1985 I scored 266 at the Joint Matriculation Examination (JME) to study Law at the University of Ife. And I was denied admission, because of my state of origin. Even though the “cut-off marks” for that particular year for most other candidates was 200 - 250, I was told that they "shoot" up the “cut-off marks” for the then Bendel State candidates to 270 for obvious reason. If they apply the same standard across the board, more than half of the students matriculating that year would be of the then Bendel State origin. So, they had no other alternative, but to raise the score of Bendel State candidates. In the instant case, both the Federal Character and Quota System were applied in disqualifying us. I cried, and I moved on.
That is Nigeria for you, for me, and for every one of us. And I think Federal Character, true federalism, decentralization, restructuring, and religion should have been the most dominant issues in this campaign. Sadly, they are not.
Does General Buhari accept the fact that Nigeria is a secular state? To what extent is he at accord with the basic manifestos of his own political party? Is free education acceptable to him in line with APC's new thinking?
The issue really is not and shouldn't be his eligibility, but his electability in light of his very extreme public pronouncements on religious issues and the troubling north-south divide over the years that he doesn't know how to overcome.
Is Buhari running to restore power to the grieving Arewas, who felt marginalized by the sudden death of President Yar'Adua? Or he is championing a true revolution to rescue Nigeria from his fellow ruling class and to save it from imminent collapse?
How authentic is a revolution or change when Obasanjo and IBB are now some of his new followers? Hopefully, these questions will find credible answers during the Presidential debate.
At the moment, the irrepressible Mr. Femi Fani Kayode is on a frolic, busy depleting his campaign funds and precious time, waging a futile battle, with a view to disqualifying General Buhari on bogus premise. It won't happen.
If you think a man who rose to the position of a General in the Nigerian Armed Forces is not qualified to run for the office of the President of Nigeria, you are delusional. He was a General, and he served the nation gallantly. How he got it is immaterial.
Without mincing words, General Buhari is eminently qualified to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the apex court will not HEAR any case instituted to contest his qualification or eligibility. The earlier PDP and Femi Fani Kayode concentrate on issues (what they have done and what they intend to do if elected) the better for the party.
In sum, did General Buhari attend other Schools or Military Institutions after his WASC? Yes. Did he forge his WASC to secure admission to those other institutions? There is no proof of that. Was he admitted to those institutions on the strength of his prior academic background, recommendations, and other factors acceptable to those institutions? Yes. Did he successfully complete those post-WASC studies? There is no proof he did not. Case close.
The issue right now is not whether General Buhari meets the educational benchmark, but whether he is conversant with the latest developments in our educational sector – managing students’ unrest, domesticating almajiris population, and keeping ASUU on campus. Nigerians deserve better; it is high time we elevate the scope of our presidential campaign – making it substantially issue-oriented.
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