F.C.T., Abuja - It was a big slap in the face of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Tuesday when Major-General Paul Chadri Tarfa, retd, declared that the military Authority in 1961 did not ask them during enlistment to submit for safe keep, their Secondary School Certificates.
Tarfa’s submission was contrary to a public statement made by President Muhammadu Buhari wherein he claimed that the military authority was in possession of his certificate.
But Tarfa who affirmed that he was recruited into the Nigerian Army on April 16, 1962 with Buhari said this under cross-examination by Buhari’s lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun.
Yet, there was a contradiction. This is because while Tarfa agreed that Buhari joined the army in 1962, Suleiman Isa Mai Adu’a, another APC Witness said Buhari joined the Army in 1961.
He further confirmed that the medium of instruction “was English language and English language alone.”
He also confirmed that he and Buhari “passed the examinations in flying colours.”
When asked, he named some members of his set with whom he and Buhari were enlisted to include, Brig.-Generals Ola Oni, Duro Ajayi, Col. A.C. Ojukwu, the late Brig-Generals, Abdullahi Sellem and Shehu Yar’Adua.
He was also asked by the INEC’s lawyer to confirm if “You and other course mates were asked to hand over your certificates to the Nigerian Army during your enlistment;” to which the respondent, Tarfa, said, “There was nothing like that.”
After asking the witness one question, the petitioners’ lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), thanked him “for being truthful.”