Femi Adesina: The military said they’ve lost Buhari’s certificates

Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, says the military
had admitted losing President Muhammadu Buhari’s
certificate.

In an interview with The
Nation^[1], Adesina was
quoted as saying the issue is dead and those still discussing it
are “idle”.

Buhari had failed to submit his academic certificates to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claiming it is
still with the military.

The president’s claim had triggered a controversy on the matter,
with some Nigerians insisting he must present his credentials.

Adesina, however, said those raising the issue are the
opposition parties whose defeat is “imminent” ahead of the 2019
elections.

“The certificate saga is a dead issue, only idle people will
consider it. It is something that had been laid to rest before the
2015 general elections,” Adesina was quoted as saying.

“Those raising the issue are idle and they have run out of
ideas. They see defeat staring them in the face and they are
desperate to cling to any straw. This issue was resolved before the
2015 election.”

He said when Buhari and some of his colleagues joined the
military, their original certificates were taken from them.

“The military knew where they kept the original certificates of
the president. In fact, a former chief of defence Staff, Gen. Alani
Akinrinade, corroborated that the military collected the original
certificates of all its officers,” he added.

“The military already said they lost the certificates. But does
it mean that it did not exist that the president went to school,
sat for examinations and passed; attended military courses and War
College?

“It does not change the fact that the president rose through the
ranks to become a major-general in the Nigerian army and a military
head of state.

“Didn’t those opposed to president Buhari go to court over his
certificate and lost before? They will still lose this time around.
It is a dead issue.”

TheCable reached out to Texas Chukwu, army spokesman, to react
to Adesina’s claim but he was unreachable and a text message sent
was yet to be replied as at when this report was filed.