- Says those questioning integrity of council are desperados
By Gabriel Dike, Lagos
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it can only appear in court when summoned to clarify results, certificates or documents petitioned by politicians at an election tribunal.
A statement signed by the acting Head, Public Affairs, Mrs Moyosola Adesina described the council as a legal entity that can sue and be sued, adding, “It is a law-abiding organisation with absolute respect for the judiciary. It will, therefore, always appear in court whenever subpoenaed and obey any valid order arising therefrom.
“This is the era of politics. WAEC has been subpoenaed on several occasions to appear in court to confirm the authenticity of WAEC results, certificates, or documents tendered by some litigants, and we have always done so.”
The statement titled: “Stop the unnecessary and unwarranted attacks; Let WAEC be” said of recent, the Nigerian press has been awash with stories of attempts by WAEC to pervert the course of justice by allegedly “conniving with some highly placed persons whose electoral victories in the last national elections are being challenged in court by their opponents.
She said: “These reports even alleged that “top WAEC directors at the Yaba office received huge sums of money in several tranches to conceal and doctor information on WAEC records concerning some defendants. The reports went on to say that WAEC has been complicit in denying all litigants access to examination records in proof of their cases in court.”
She explained that the reports also bogusly claimed that an investigative agency went to Ghana and completed investigations while efforts to do so in Nigeria were blocked by some WAEC officials.
“We would have ignored all these baseless, mischievous, and malicious allegations, but we have decided to do some clarifications and enlightenment for the benefit of the Nigerian public and for the sake of assessment and education, generally, in Nigeria.”
According to her, WAEC Ghana has nothing to do with the results of Nigerian candidates, just as Nigeria does not have anything to do with the results of Ghanaian candidates, even though the council administer the same international examinations.
“Therefore, saying that some investigating agency had gone to Ghana and had concluded investigations on a matter, only to be blocked on the same matter in Nigeria, is a lie from the pit of hell. How can the Ghana office, or even the headquarters, speak on a matter they know nothing about?”
Adesina stressed that no member country has other member countries’ results, records, and documents.
The image maker noted that the council WAEC will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and security agencies whenever it is called upon to provide documents and records to aid their investigations on matters.
Said she: “We do not respond to enquiries by private individuals, non-government agencies, and law firms not authorised by courts. Bona-fide candidates’ requests are also attended to.
“Candidate’s photocard is only used for private candidates examinations, and not for school candidates examinations. Asking for it for a school candidates examination that was written in May/June 1981 was only borne out of ignorance and, therefore, tantamount to asking for the impossible.
The council has the legal right to ask for a variation of court orders when it considers particular demands impossible. We speak no more on that, but WAEC has and will always explain why such requests cannot be granted to petitioners,” she stressed.
She observed that some people tend to separate results from certificates, whereas they bear the same records and convey the same information, noting certificate represents a candidate’s result in a given format.
Adesina further disclosed that a candidate can have a result without a certificate due to loss, destruction by fire, termites, flood, or theft but a candidate can never have a certificate without a result, stating, “Once a candidate loses his/her certificate, he/she can only request Confirmation of Result or Attestation of Result (AoR). The AoR will bear the current passport photograph of the candidate.”
She clarified that certificates are co-signed by the sitting Registrar and current Chairman of the Council, AoR is co-signed by the sitting Registrar and Head of National Office (HNO).
She noted: “A certificate can only be reprinted when some relevant pieces of information can still be seen on the damaged or faded one and when the stock of blank certificates for the year in question is still available.”
“For record purposes and the avoidance of doubt, there is nothing like a duplicate certificate. Once a candidate collects his/her certificate from the Council (in the case of private candidates examination) or from his/her alma mater (in the case of school candidates examination), that is it. Anybody or organisation or agency doubting the authenticity of such a certificate and deciding to approach WAEC for authentication must avail WAEC of a copy (photocopy) of the certificate. WAEC can then give the asking agency a ‘Certified True Copy’ once confirmed.
“In the event of not supplying WAEC with a copy of the certificate that you want it to certify, WAEC can only avail you of a ‘Certified True Copy’ of the Result Listing of the centre where the candidate in question sat the examination. This much WAEC representatives have professionally explained at various courts whenever subpoenaed.”
She disclosed that WAEC is a tested and globally recognised international examination body and has stood the test of time since 1952 while its results and certificates are globally recognised and acceptable, just like those of other similar international examining bodies.
Adesina described the council as a-political, can never be involved in any political persuasion, no respecter of positions or personalities and that anybody that sits for WAEC examinations is simply referred to as a candidate.
She said WAEC will never be intimidated into doing unethical, adding, ‘It is guided by the principles of professionalism and integrity. It is, therefore, laughable and insulting to say that WAEC officials collected bribes to pervert the course of justice. We shall always say the truth, no matter whose ox is gored.”
The council advised the media to be professional in their reportage and allow WAEC to concentrate on the execution of its mandate and that it must guide against the bastardisation of assessment and the destruction of education in the country.
She stressed that WAEC deserved accolades for holding on as a colossus for the past 71 years, warning “Those who query the integrity of the council are desperadoes, who want things in their favour at all costs. And sadly enough, these same people are proud holders of WAEC certificates. Please, let WAEC be.”