The Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has provided clarification regarding the discrepancies in his Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) certificate. Atiku’s response was conveyed through one of his aides, Dele Momodu, in a post made on his social media platform, X, on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
In the post, Atiku addressed the allegations of forgery leveled against him by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The post quoted Atiku’s detailed response to the accusations: “Yes, I used Sadiq Abubakar to sit for my WAEC, and after passing my exams, I went to swear an affidavit to say I am the same person as ATIKU Abubakar. I went to ABU as Atiku Abubakar and passed my exams as Atiku Abubakar. Interviewed as Atiku Abubakar by the Federal Civil Service Commission and hired into the Customs Service as Atiku Abubakar. So where is forgery there?” – ATIKU ABUBAKAR.
Atiku’s explanation highlights the use of an individual named Sadiq Abubakar to take the WAEC on his behalf, followed by a legal affirmation through an affidavit to establish the link between his identity and the exam results. He further emphasized that he consistently used the name Atiku Abubakar in subsequent educational and professional pursuits, including admission to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), employment by the Federal Civil Service Commission, and recruitment into the Customs Service.
The clarification aims to address the concerns raised by political opponents and underscores Atiku Abubakar’s transparency in providing a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding his academic credentials.
