A former Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (retd.), tells GBENGA ADENIJI and BAYO AKINLOYE that Nigeria may be headed for crisis if the elections are not well managed.


Some people are agitating for the postponement of the general elections. How do you see the call for poll shift or otherwise?

Those using the security situation as a reason for poll shift owe us answers on when it will be conducive to conduct the general elections. When is the situation going to be better than now? Before we can debate this, they must advance what will happen if the elections are held at the scheduled time. I haven’t seen or heard anyone oblige us with those arguments. I have a feeling that this situation that we are in is not going to change for a very long time. If elections could be held in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, we will have to think again; if really we want democracy or we want something else. I know there are cases in court concerning the election. I think the most annoying one is the case about (Muhammadu) Buhari not having a certificate.


Why is it annoying?

It is an insult to the armed forces — a terrible insult to the armed forces. If they are so embedded in the system and they have lost their souls, then they can go ahead and join everybody else in castigating a General of Buhari’s calibre. They are now talking about a school certificate. What is that? By the time he joined the army, in those days, there were no cutting corners. It is later when these same civilians took over from the army that admission into it became less transparent. I can give you an instance. There was Course Five around 1964: if one did not have a school certificate one couldn’t apply to join the army. And I know up to 1963 when the last General Officer Commanding left Nigeria, there were no corners to be cut. There was no such thing. Everything was on merit. And, that was how it was till Buhari’s time. Buhari attended the Mons (Officer Cadet School in Aldershot in England) and the Staff College; I don’t want to think they have an idea what they teach in those places. And the rest of us pretend as if we don’t know what they do there. You send a man to America for one and a half years in a military school. Do they think he just went there to learn how to fire a rifle? No.

But why is it difficult for Buhari to produce the original copy of the certificate?

He did. As I speak to you, I don’t know where my original certificate is because we gave the original to the Military Board. They took it from us when we applied to join the Army. You give the original copy of credential to the board. They take it and keep it in your file, that’s what happened. How many years ago? 50 years. And Nigeria with our (poor) record-keeping and filing things into an archive -if we have an archive at all; an archive inhabited by rats and cockroaches. I think it’s an insult. I take it as a personal insult.

But why is it difficult for Buhari to produce the original copy of the certificate?

He did. As I speak to you, I don’t know where my original certificate is because we gave the original to the Military Board. They took it from us when we applied to join the Army. You give the original copy of credential to the board. They take it and keep it in your file, that’s what happened. How many years ago? 50 years. And Nigeria with our (poor) record-keeping and filing things into an archive -if we have an archive at all; an archive inhabited by rats and cockroaches. I think it’s an insult. I take it as a personal insult.



http://www.punchng.com/news/its-an-insult-on-the-military-to-question-buharis-certificate-gen-akinrinade/

Who ask this one question again?

naijaking1:
How come WAEC itself doesn't have a copy of Buhar's certificate

Ngasky:
Certificate can only be given once. At your level of enlightment you ought to know this, except maybe your school is from certain part of Nigerian jungle. Try getting another primary/WAEC certificate becouse your original was missing and you will hear this cardinal rule of Education.
On GMB's result Cambridge is very clear they release his statement of result

o42austino:
Stop crying pls,if u submitted ur original certificate to d military back then and they said that they are not in possession of it,why dont u write to the Examination body requesting for Another Certificate?, The Cambridge Weac Exams said that they can only confirm the Result with the consent of the Candidate, so what is preventing the so candidate from Writing to them to confirm or deny such claims?

We are Not in the 50s and 60s.

Ngasky:
Certificate can only be given once. At your level of enlightment you ought to know this, except maybe your school is from certain part of Nigerian jungle. Try getting another primary/WAEC certificate becouse your original was missing and you will hear this cardinal rule of Education.
On GMB's result Cambridge is very clear they release his statement of result

otil1:
"And Nigeria with our (poor) record-keeping and filing things into an archive -if we have an archive at all; an archive inhabited by rats and cockroaches. I think it’s an insult. I take it as a personal insult."

Sir, that mystic that you generation of military supremacists used to intimidate the whole country has expired and evaporated.

This is 21st century.

Yes it is an insult that if your great military establishment could not maintain an effective archiving system. What about manuals of sensitive weaponry? What about land title documents.

My point is, sir, don't push it to the military board. It has produced what's on file and that is the recommendation of Buhari's principal that he would pass 5 subjects including English and maths.

You will be shocked at how much is well preserved in our archives.

Truth is that while you were there believing in merit, the proteges of Ahmadu Bello were being smuggled in without question and propelled ahead of you all from South without question.

And at Buhari's coup he became the grand commander and his personal file became topmost secrete. And no one dare to question it's content.

Better go find your certificate. It's never too late or ask waec to re-issue. They will happily do so and earn small revenue

naijaking1:
How come WAEC itself doesn't have a copy of Buhar's certificate

free2ryhme:
This NA cannot de. feat BH in 50 years, they are so corrupt and indiscipline, thank God for the like of Captain Sagir Koli who exposed how Ekiti election was rigged.I have always said the Nigerian Army were out to ridicule GMB, to all shouting perjury, forgery ery ery........please read below.

But why is it difficult for Buhari to produce the original copy of the certificate?

He did. As I speak to you, I don’t know where my original certificate is because we gave the original to the Military Board. They took it from us when we applied to join the Army. You give the original copy of credential to the board. They take it and keep it in your file, that’s what happened. How many years ago? 50 years. And Nigeria with our (poor) record-keeping and filing things into an archive -if we have an archive at all; an archive inhabited by rats and cockroaches. I think it’s an insult. I take it as a personal insult.