Festus Keyamo has argued that one does not need to have a WAEC certificate to become President of Nigeria.
Keyamo made this assertion while featuring as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
He said “There are other levels of qualifications to run for the office of President. In fact, if you have occupied the public office for a reasonable length of time, by the provisions of the constitution, you do not even need a WAEC certificate to become President of Nigeria”.
Keyamo who is director strategic communications of President Muhammadu Buhari, 2019 presidential campaign, also argued that Buhari’s certificate is not in question because WAEC itself confirmed that the President passed his examination and was issued a certificate.
“It becomes extremely foolish for anybody who is not statutorily empowered to issue WAEC certificates to come and challenge the body that has the statutory power to issue certificates,” he said.
In differentiating between President Buhari’s case and the situation with Senator Ademola Adeleke, Keyamo noted via Twitter that the case in Osun state borders upon a forgery.
Festus Keyamo, SAN✔@fkeyamo
Forgery occurs when the supposed author of a document denies ever making it or denies its authenticity. WAEC has confirmed the authenticity of PMB’s certificate by issuing an attestation of it. Case closed. In #OsunCaseScenario WAEC has denied the authenticity. See d difference?
Festus Keyamo, SAN✔@fkeyamo
Let me end my free lecture series by saying that the crux of the matter is that if you don’t have a WAEC certificate, there’s no need to go ahead & forge one in a bid to be Governor or President. You can still be qualified, regardless. That’s the mistake made in #OsunCaseScenario
Keyamo also spoke about the motion filed by the APC claiming that Atiku Abubakar, is a Cameroonian.
He said the matter was already in court and as a senior member of the bar, he cannot go into details about it.
He, however, advised “those who are informed” to go and read thoroughly Section 131 in conjunction with Section 25 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
