Group Calls for Details of President's Doctorate Degree

President Goodluck Jonathan

Just recently, a civil society organization by the name Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law is asking the university of port harcourt to provide the following documents related to the president’s doctorate qualification as stipulated by section 2 and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011:

1. The title of the president’s doctorate dissertation
2. Year of registration as a doctorate candidate
3. Name of his doctorate supervisor(s)
4. Name of his external examiner(s)
5. Comments/ reports of the external examiners on the dissertation/thesis
6. Photocopy of the dissertation/thesis
7. Date of graduation from the university

The organization, on behalf of Omano Edigheji said they gave the university seven days to provide the documents. They further went ahead to say that they were ready to bear any cost the university might incur in making the documents available.

Many believe that the group is trying to get back at the president over the controversy generated by the secondary school result of the All Progressives Congress party candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari. In which the secondary school had since come out to provide a copy of the statement of his results, with some of his then classmates testifying to have sat for the examination together.

It is no news that Mr President attained all his degrees (B.sc, M.sc and PhD) from the university of port harcourt. Moreover, even if he didn't complete his doctorate degree, he would still be eligible to contest for presidency, as the minimum requirement is a secondary school certificate, however, he might be disqualified on the ground of perjury for including it as part of his academic qualifications in the forms he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

I just hope the so called organization are digging up the right information and not digging out what would result in shame! Only time would tell

Adapted from Nicholas Ibekwe, Sahara Reporters