Buhari’s Strategic Silence on Educational Credentials (WAEC)Unveiled in Femi Adesina New Book
In a revelatory book titled ‘Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015 – 2023),’ Femi Adesina, the former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, sheds light on the reasons behind the ex-president’s refusal to release his West African School Certificate (WAEC) during the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
Buhari, according to Femi Adesina, intentionally withheld his credentials to deny critics the satisfaction of “venting spleen” on it. The book quotes Buhari saying, “I always had it, but refused to release it, so that those venting spleen on it could please themselves.”
During the 2019 general elections, public outcry ensued when Buhari declined to submit his educational certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, reiterating that all his credentials were with the Secretary to the Military Board, a stance he also maintained in 2015.
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However, a twist occurred in November 2018 when Buhari was presented with a Letter of Attestation by officials of the West African Examination Council, as captured in a video shared by his aide, Bashir Ahmad.
Buhari justified his decision in the book by emphasizing the importance of the WASC examinations in 1961, stating, “It would have been impossible for me to attend the Defence Services Staff College, India (1973), and thereafter, the United States Army War College, as a Nigerian military officer if I didn’t sit for the WASC examinations.”
The book not only delves into Buhari’s educational background but also unveils his stance on key issues. It reveals his resistance to sacking the embattled governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, amid speculations about his presidential ambition in the 2023 general election.
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Additionally, Buhari expressed a preference for extraditing Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, to face trial in Nigeria instead of resorting to lethal measures.
Femi Adesina’s book provides a comprehensive insight into Buhari’s strategic decisions and sheds light on the complexities surrounding his presidency.
