The failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to present necessary documents, including his WAEC certificate, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to support his candidature has angered many Nigerians who took to social media to vent.
Instead of submitting his academic credentials, Buhari had deposed to a sworn affidavit in which he claimed that they were with the military, a claim he also made in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.
Many commentators queried why he could not deploy his power as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to compel the military to produce the credentials.
According to them, the WAEC certificate saga had dented the president’s much “vaunted integrity” and rubbished his anti-corruption fight.
However, some commentators wondered why Nigerians were making an issue out of the WAEC certificate saga when Buhari had already earned a Diploma from the United States Army War College in 1980, which surpasses the WAEC qualification.
Read comments monitored on Twitter:
Nigeria, a nation of 190m persons with roughly: 30,000 Professors, 150,000 PhD holders, 1m Masters Degree holders, 20m B. Sc holders, 50m WAEC holders, 70m Primary School Cert holders, proudly led into the digital age by a man who can’t find his primary & Sec School Certificates.
— Mazi Gburugburu (@Mazigburugburu1) October 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/Rouvafe/status/1055779871358664704
The military (in 2015) said they don’t have Buhari’s WAEC certificate. https://t.co/cN5YbxmVG9
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) October 26, 2018
Buhari is straight-up Nigeria's most successful conman. As petrol minister in d 1970s, he couldn't account for $2.8bn. As PTF boss, he supervised a humongous cesspool of corruption where he couldn't account for N25bn. He can't even produce his WAEC cert. Yet he has "integrity"!
— Farooq Kperogi, Ph.D (@farooqkperogi) October 27, 2018
Nigerians should campaign for their candidates on issues and avoid frivolous distractions… Buhari in his military courses surpassed WAEC certificates, we should let sleeping dogs lie please… pic.twitter.com/Y8nMTKRtXc
— Dele Momodu Ovation (@DeleMomodu) October 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/Rouvafe/status/1056048079353331713
Common WAEC certificate someone will go and hire 50 SANs. Sadly, he doesn't have any certificate to submit.
This time, Law must prevail.@YouthsForAtiku https://t.co/rChDBhGMRR
— Sefunmi Gbenjo (@sefunmigbenjo) October 26, 2018
The lack of Buhari's WAEC certificate was a talking point in 2015, then he presented a certified / verified copy, ran and won.
If in 2018/2019 you feel compelled to die on the hill of 'Buhari has no WAEC certificate', by all means RIP
— Mr. Aye Dee (@MrAyeDee) October 26, 2018
Politics. When the man joined the military, NDA hadn't even started. Had to go to the UK from the Military Training College in Kaduna before he got his commission in 1963. In 2018 they say he doesn't WAEC. We'll be alright… https://t.co/lWDZocgFQc
— Temisan Okomi (@temiokomi) October 26, 2018
Anti-corruption activists defending someone without a WAEC certificate but wants to run for office. Frauds everywhere.
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) October 26, 2018
An average Nigerian that wants a 100k per month job must possess a first degree, an NYSC certificate, write 20 tests , give his kidney and small intestines and kiss better ass while Buhari can gun for biggest job in the country without a WAEC certificate .
How is this even fair?
— The Papi (@tawah89) October 26, 2018