Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, says since the military had admitted losing President Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate, the issue has been settled and those still raising dust over it are idle.
Recall that Buhari’s failure to submit his credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) claiming that the certificates are still with the military had triggered controversies, with some Nigerians insisting he must present his certificates.
However, speaking at the weekend, Adesina said the military had admitted losing President Muhammadu Buhari and 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.”