Buhari’s certificate saga: trial turns comical as Nigerians rue new twist

Buhari, the illiterate President

As court demands that Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian President, produce his certificate in court for determination whether he is truly qualified to be President of Nigeria, he has hired 23 senior lawyers to argue against the court order.

The lawyers are:

1. Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

2. Mr. Lateef O. Fagbemi (SAN),

3. Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN),

4. Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu (SAN),

5. Kola Awodein (SAN),

6. Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN),

7. Charles Edosomwan (SAN),

8. Emeka Ngige (SAN),

9. Femi Atoyebi (SAN),

10. Femi Falana (SAN),

11. Funke Aboyade (SAN),

12. H.O. Afolabi (SAN),

13. Muiz Banire (SAN),

And 10 other lawyers

The new twist came into the case last May when Justice Adeniyi Ademola of Federal High Court Abuja dismissed Buhari’s preliminary objection to the suit filed against him by Nnamdi Nwokocha. Buhari’s response was the hiring of the lawyers.

Nigerians are ruing the new twist insisting that Buhari has succeeded in making a mess of the country in all fronts – political front, legal, health, education and integrity. They think he should just get himself out of government so that the country can stabilize.

It is common knowledge in Nigeria that the idea of hiring senior lawyers in a case is done to have lawyers with enough connections that would be able to reach a judge to bribe him. Therefore, the more senior lawyers one is able to hire; the more the possibility of getting lawyers that could reach a judge and bribing him.

Many are seeing the Buhari move as a blow to his much promoted anti-corruption war, as well as being comical. Here was a man who became president failing to abide by the requirements of the constitution to become president, a corrupt act, claiming to fight corruption. Here is a man who could not produce his certificate in court, but is hiring 23 senior lawyers to argue against a court order for him to produce his certificate in court – comical.