Outrage greeted the news that Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has hired 13 senior lawyers to defend him in a suit at a federal high court in Abuja challenging his eligibility for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over his failure to present his WAEC certificate.
The president’s legal team is made up of 13 senior advocates of Nigeria, SAN, and is led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN). The other lawyers on Buhari’s defence team are Mr. Lateef O. Fagbemi (SAN), Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu (SAN), Kola Awodein (SAN), Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), Charles Edosomwan (SAN), Emeka Ngige (SAN), Femi Atoyebi (SAN), Femi Falana (SAN), Funke Aboyade (SAN), H.O. Afolabi (SAN), Muiz Banire (SAN). Ten other lawyers are on the team.
An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe is challenging Buhari’s eligibility to contest for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he did not sit for the Cambridge West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 as he claimed in his form submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Nigerians took to social media to express their disappointment and anger that their president would fail to present a basic education certificate for secondary school. Buhari had sworn an oath while filing his form at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in 2014 that his original school certificates were with the military board. The Nigerian Army had issued a statement denying being in possession of the retired general’s certificates in the heat of the 2015 elections.
Below are some of the messages on microblogging website Twitter using the hashtag, #PMBShowUsYourCertificate and #PMBShowUsUrCertificate.
Highest form of corruption is certificate forgery. That is the root of all other forms of corruption.. #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Solakuti.com (@Solakutidotcom) June 15, 2016
A legal fee paid for only 1 SAN will do the needful to search for your certificate even if it in Pluto. #PMBShowUsYourCertificate
— Sam Adebayo (@samkrown) June 15, 2016
He that must come to equity must come with clean hands@MBuhari yaya kasua?
Corruption fighter why this cert saga?#PMBShowUsUrCertificate— NZEDELAW UNCOUTH® (@nzedelaw) June 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/ikennaasomba13/status/743034230087815168
https://twitter.com/ikennaasomba13/status/743032985759449088
Buhari is using a Corrupt Judge to Fight Saraki and also a Fake Result to Lead Nigeria #PMBShowUsUrCertificate pic.twitter.com/elmYK9ThQu
— Ochinanwata D 1st (@mr_ochonogor) June 15, 2016
This is how to show ur certificate not with15 SANs,Buhari show ur certificate now #PMBShowUsUrCertificate pic.twitter.com/8hned9Ekya
— AnonymousTillBuhariResigns (@news360ng) June 15, 2016
BUHARI THE PRETENDER
Pretends to be frugal but rather than show his WAEC CERTIFICATE, hires #13SANs for defence. #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Dot In A Circle – Onye Spare Parts (@The_Jonathanian) June 15, 2016
Dear Buhari, showing us ur WAEC certificate don hard pass d exam itself?#PMBShowUsYourCertificate Trends on Twitter https://t.co/ZCGeulKmBY
— Chinasa Okaro (@Iammymodazdota) June 15, 2016
Buhari's certificate issue again, we shouted enough during campaign but they wouldn't listen 👂.Shame on @APCNigeria #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Olúmídé. F (@Olu_mind) June 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/rashy77/status/743059258573479941
https://twitter.com/rashy77/status/743060769298915328
The Court asked for Certificate Buhari gave them 13 SANs
Showing that He don't have any. Shame!
#PMBShowUsUrCertificate— JJ-John Junior (@Johnjunior85) June 15, 2016
Nigerians this morning ask @MBUhari @NGRPresident to make his certificate available for all to see #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Le philosophe (@dibangoxx) June 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/AtusiubaOkwy/status/743041568186236928
#PMBShowUsUrCertificate You can't be presiding over Nigeria with NEPA bill certificate @TheMbuhari
— 𝔏𝔢𝔟𝔞𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔢 𝔐𝔞𝔣𝔦𝔞 (@Desmola) June 15, 2016
Is either Buhari sat for WASC but did not make the minimum qualification and doesn't want to expose himself. #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) June 15, 2016
Except if Buhari's waec certificate is stored jupither or pluto, if not just bring out the certificate. #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) June 15, 2016
I dont understand Buhari again..
You swore on your integrity that you have your certificate..
why contract 15 SANs?#PMBShowUsUrCertificate— Atiku x Okowa 2023 (@AO23NG) June 15, 2016
If u fight CORRUPTION with fake WAEC result, Buhari will dispatch .@OfficialEfcc to fetch u. #PMBShowUsUrCertificate pic.twitter.com/WM1vtVtGIS
— ≋🔝≋ (@AgorasBlog) June 15, 2016
What is there why are you hiding your certificate #PMBshowUsYourCertificate and stop this long protocol
— EDU NA THAI (@rogersharison) June 15, 2016
Who even advised Buhari to lie that he has certificate in the first place? #PMBShowUsUrCertificate https://t.co/ZrXLXyZtq2
— Tonye Barcanista (@TonyeBarcanista) June 15, 2016
13 SANs, 11 lawyers, costing N10bn cannot produce ordinary waec. Strong thing #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— onapleasuride (@pleasuride) June 15, 2016
Court: Do you have WASC?
Buhari: I have 10 SANs.This no be O'level matter again.#PMBshowUsYourCertificate
— Chidi iwuchukwu C (@BChidiiwuchukwu) June 15, 2016
The Man that said lawyers should not defend alleged looters is now hiring battalion of lawyers to defend fraud #PMBShowUsYourCertificate
— Emma Nwigwe (@EmmaNwigwe) June 15, 2016
#PMBShowUsYourCertificate if Buhari can't show us his cert,it means He is corrupt;simple! Nigeria is too complex to be ruled by illiterates.
— RIO BILL$ (@RIO_BILLS) June 15, 2016
I blame the stupid lawyers that wasted years in school only to be hired by a man with no certificate#PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Sefinatu Umaru (@Sophienene1) June 15, 2016
I will be the happiest Nigerian if our president shows us his acclaimed WAEC certificate. #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— President Martial FC (@ThaVincent) June 15, 2016
Dear PMB,
Education is vital.I shall be willing to sponsor ur WAEC exam registration fee if u wish to sit for it.#PMBshowUsYourCertificate— Abundantly Blessed 🇳🇬 (@BlessinAbundant) June 15, 2016
#PMBshowusyourcertificate Waec has 9 papers and you hired 13 SAN's; wouldn't it hav been better if each of them wrote a paper for you? Fraud
— Joshua Uchenna (@josh_67630) June 15, 2016
@MBuhari certificate forgery shows d depth of incompetence in @AttahiruJega_ & INEC.Both knew he was an illiterate #PMBShowUsYourCertificate
— Biafranlivesmatters (@Biafranlive) June 15, 2016
Someone who doesn't have ordinary WAEC certificate may not understand what devaluation is. #PMBShowUsYourCertificate
— Sam Adebayo (@samkrown) June 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/owolabieleniyan/status/743037271713189888
How can a man with NEPA bill sack real officers from the army? #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— onapleasuride (@pleasuride) June 15, 2016
Let's see your hand if you have your certificate #PMBShowUsUrCertificate pic.twitter.com/KYG1khj5S7
— Dr. Money Dibiaego (@drmoneydibiaego) June 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/Roland_speaks/status/743055505392799744
https://twitter.com/Roland_speaks/status/743055832842129408
Wen it comes to doing d Brain work Buhari hired Yoruba & Igbo SANs, not a single Fulani SAN #PMBShowUsUrCertificate pic.twitter.com/w7SGbzgEIM
— Flo (@flokemite) June 15, 2016
Where was Buhari when other past military heads were quickly going back to school to secure a certificate #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— TAYO TAIWO 🇳🇬 (@tayotaiwo83) June 15, 2016
No wonder our economy is currently in comatose! A president with no SSCE certificate #PMBShowUsUrCertificate
— Egbelo Ntebri Edward (@eddyegbelo92) June 15, 2016
