The University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, now known as Cambridge Assessment, has said it can only release the certificate of President Muhammadu Buhari with it only if he so requests.
Cambridge, a United Kingdom-based examination body, which oversaw the conduct of final year secondary school examination in Nigeria and placement into foreign universities in the early days of colonialism and years after, said this on Monday in a statement on its website.
It said this in response to enquiries by Nigerians for it to authenticate the certificate of Buhari, which has become an issue ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
It said for it to release a candidate’s certificate, the student must request for it.
It said in the statement titled: “Statement in response to Nigerian Presidential election enquiries: “We can only confirm or verify results at the direct request of or with the permission of a candidate.
“This is in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulations, Data Protection Act 2018 and section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.”
The organisation also confirmed that according to the Regulations for 1961, African Language papers, including those for Hausa, were set for the West African School Certificate.
In a footnote, Cambridge also said: “Examination results were classed in grades by 1 to 9. 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 indicate a Pass with Credit; 7 & 8 indicate a Pass; 9 indicates a Failure.
“To pass the School Certificate, candidates had to pass examinations in a variety of groups. It was compulsory to pass English Language, but not Maths, in order to gain the Certificate.
“The number of candidates who sat for the WASC Hausa examination in 1961 was 152.
“Our records show that Hausa was set in the Northern Region in 1961.”
President Buhari, standing for reelection on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, had said in an affidavit that accompanied his form to the Independent National Electoral Commission that his results were with the Military.
The major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, made an issue out of it, referring to a January 2015 position of the Nigerian Army that it does not have such certificate.
A former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade, had in the midst of the controversy said the certificates of all military enrolees then were with the Military.
Last Friday, however, the West African Examination council presented an authenticated result to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The WAEC team to the presentation was led by the Registrar, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae.
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