UK police, DSS petitioned over Buhari’s Cambridge assessment documents

The Department of State Services (DSS) and the London Metropolitan Police Service have received petitions to investigate the documents said to have been obtained from Cambridge University and tendered for President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential election tribunal.

TheCable obtained copies of the separate petitions both dated August 14, 2019, and which were forwarded by Kalu Kalu Agu, a Nigerian lawyer.

Abba Kyari, the president’s chief of staff, had told the election tribunal that he obtained the president’s “assessment” documents from Cambridge University.

He was quoted as saying he personally signed for and collected the documents on behalf of the president.

The UK-based examination body oversaw the conduct of final year secondary school examination in Nigeria and placement into foreign universities in the 1960s.

In the two petitions forwarded by Agu, the lawyer questioned the authenticity of the “certifying statement” said to have been obtained from the Cambridge Assessment International Education.

He asked the UK police and the DSS to launch an investigation into the circumstances leading to the procurement of the statement and to find out the following: “Where did Mr. Abba Kyari get the certificate which he enclosed alongside his application form for the issuance of the said certifying statement which he claimed he procured from Cambridge Assessment International Education.

“Whether Mr Abba Kyari as an individual can apply for the said certifying statement not being an academic institution or an employer of the candidate.

“Whether the said certifying statement can be delivered to Mr Abba Kyari by hand as he claimed he signed and personally collected same by hand in the UK.

“Evidence of the said application and of the candidate’s authorisation to the Cambridge Assessment International Education for the release of the said certifying statement to Mr Abba Kyari.”

He added that “in the circumstance that the certifying statement is found to be forged, it will be of great service to both Nigeria and the United Kingdom that Mr. Abba Kyari is arrested and arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction for forgery.”

Among the grounds which Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is challenging Buhari’s re-election is that he does not have the academic qualifications necessary to contest for president.

In 2018, Cambridge said in a statement seen by TheCable that “we can only confirm or verify results at the direct request of or with the permission of a candidate”.