As controversy continues to surround the whereabouts of the credentials of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, a public interest group, the Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative, ASRADI, has written the Nigerian Army and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, requesting for details of the credentials submitted by him in his application to contest in the forthcoming February14 presidential elections.

Invoking the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, the group in two separate letters signed by its executive director, Deolu Oyinlola, requested that the two institutions clear the air over the issue of Buhari’s certificates and credentials by answering the following questions:

Did Major-General (rtd) submit any academic certificate(s) when he contested presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011?

Has Major-General Muhammadu Buhari submitted any academic certificate(s) in respect of the upcoming February 14, 2015 presidential election?

Does an affidavit in lieu of academic certificates not require a candidate to list their academic qualifications and certificates obtained?

Did Major-General Muhammadu Buhari submit a birth certificate or sworn affidavit of age to the Commission in 2003, 2007 and 2011?

Has Major-General Muhammadu Buhari submitted a birth certificate or sworn affidavit of age in respect of the upcoming February, 14, 2015 presidential election?

The group also gave the two institutions a seven day ultimatum within which they should respond to the request as granted by the FOI Act.

It would be recalled that INEC had earlier announced that the APC presidential candidate had not submitted his certificates in line with INEC regulations.

Responding to the controversy over his credentials, Buhari was reported to have stated that his credentials were with the Secretary of the Military Board and that he had submitted an affidavit to that effect with the electoral umpire.

However, the military is reported to have said that it does not keep original certificates of its officers and that personal files contain only photocopies.