Buhari’s certificate genuine, WAEC will never compromise – Former Exams Officer
Following the presentation of a confirmation of result to President Muhammadu Buhari by the West African Examinations Council at the State House on Friday, a former staff of the examinations body has confirmed its authenticity.
Several questions were raised about the genuineness of the certificate yesterday, but a former Head of Exams (Port Harcourt) told Neusroom that WAEC will never compromise on its credibility.
The retired staff, who spent 35 years with the exams body, said there were no abnormalities in the presentation of the confirmation of result.
“It is a normal thing for anyone who sat for WAEC exams to apply for confirmation or attestation of result if he/she loses the original certificate,” the retiree, who preferred anonymity, told us on Saturday.
“WAEC was created in 1952, and every student’s record since the time is intact. Buhari sat for the exams in 1961. While I was in the organisation, I was privy to the results of top Nigerian public office holders,” he said.
He further said the controversy around the old photo of the president on the certificate was unnecessary, as part of the process of acquiring a confirmation or attestation of result was the submission of passport photos.
“WAEC was yet to start using photos on certificates when Buhari sat for the exams,” the ex-staff said. “Even now, if you’re requesting for one, you’ll have to submit a more recent photo of you,” he said.
He also confirmed that WAEC doesn’t include failed subjects in certificates, hence the exemption of Mathematics and Wood Work, in which Buhari scored F9s, from the certificate.
When asked why the certificate was only just presented to the president despite that the issue was initially raised four years ago, he said “WAEC will never approach you for issuance of certificate if you don’t approach them.
“I understand Buhari never approached WAEC for the certificate at the time, so there was no reason for the body to issue such.
“WAEC is an independent, respectable body globally, it will never compromise its credibility for political gain,” he confidently said.
