PDP accuses Buhari of perjury over certificate

By  Gbade Ogunwale

The presidential campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, of perjury.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, urged Buhari to withdraw from the contest and to apologise to Nigerians.
Fani-Kayode was reacting to claims by the Nigerian Army that although Buhari obtained the West African School Certificate in 1961, copies of his certificate could not be found in Army records.
Consequently, Buhari had said he would contact authorities of the Government College, Katsina, to furnish him with copies of the certificate.
But the PDP insisted that the APC flag bearer had committed a “grave criminal offence” under the law and constitution.

The statement said: “Information reaching us now has shown that the presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed today in Kano at a press conference that the affidavit he swore to in which he claimed that his credentials were in the custody of the military was not true after all.
“The implication of the action of this so-called “Mr. Clean” is nothing but perjury and we all know that this is a grave criminal offence under our laws and constitution.
“We urge Buhari and his party to do the right thing and tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerian people, throw in the towel and report to the nearest police station for interrogation and prosecution.
“Anything less than that would be an insult to the collective intelligence and integrity of the Nigerian people. We also urge the Nigerian Armed Forces to consider the possibility of stripping him of his rank and privileges given the fact that he was never qualified to join the Nigerian army as a commissioned officer in the first place because he never had the prerequisite qualifications which was a school certificate.
“Given this, at best Buhari should never have been anything more than a non-commissioned officer.”
The President’s campaign organisation also blamed Buhari and APC supporters for the reported attack by suspected thugs on the convoy of President Goodluck Jonathan during the President’s campaign rally in Katsina on Tuesday.
“We consider that action despicable, barbaric, shameful and highly reprehensible. It shows very clearly the violent nature, disposition and character of those individuals that were involved and the presidential candidate that they support.
“The Katsina show of shame was the first case of violence unleashed on our candidate by supporters of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, after the signing of the historic Abuja Accord by the presidential candidates of all the parties participating in the election. The purpose of that Accord was to discourage violence before, during and after the election.
“The laudable intention of the Accord has now been irresponsibly violated by a group of miscreants and vandals whose leader has proved to be wholly incapable of keeping them in check and restraining them from indulging in violence. It is worrisome that this kind of violent reaction would manifest when the election has not held and their candidate has not yet lost.
“We are taking this opportunity to serve notice today that by the grace of God and the support of the well-meaning Nigerian electorate, Gen. Buhari will suffer a crushing defeat in the hands of our candidate, President Jonathan, at the polls.”