Presidential Tribunal: Kyari Claims Atiku Is ‘Cameroonian by Flesh and Blood’

Abba Kyari, then Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, told the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar was born in territory that was part of Northern Cameroon at the time of his birth.

Kyari made the claim while testifying before the tribunal in the petition filed by Atiku and the PDP challenging Buhari’s victory in the February 23, 2019 presidential election.

Led in evidence by Buhari’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Kyari argued that Jada, Atiku’s hometown, was located in the former Adamawa Province, which he said was part of Northern Cameroon when Atiku was born in 1946.

According to Kyari, the area later became part of Nigeria following the 1961 plebiscite in which residents of Northern Cameroon voted to join Nigeria.

He argued that because Atiku had already been born before the plebiscite, his place of birth was technically outside Nigerian territory at the time.

Kyari further claimed that Atiku’s father and grandfather were also regarded as Cameroonians under the colonial arrangements that existed before the territory became part of Nigeria.

On that basis, he described Atiku as Cameroonian “by flesh and blood.”

Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had raised Atiku’s citizenship as part of their defence before the tribunal, arguing that he was not constitutionally qualified to contest for the presidency.

They maintained that the Constitution barred non-Nigerians from contesting presidential elections and asked the tribunal to dismiss Atiku’s petition on that ground.

The respondents also argued that Atiku’s previous service as Nigeria’s vice president did not prevent the tribunal from considering the citizenship question in the presidential election petition.

Kyari also testified on the controversy surrounding Buhari’s educational qualifications.

He told the tribunal that he personally collected a Cambridge University West African School Certificate document relating to Buhari on July 18, 2019.

“I can confirm that I was the one that collected and signed the Cambridge University West Africa Examination Certificate on behalf of the President,” Kyari said.

Buhari and the APC relied on the document as part of their effort to counter Atiku and the PDP’s allegation that the President did not possess the minimum educational qualification required to contest the election.

Retired Major-General Paul Tarfa also testified in Buhari’s defence.

Tarfa told the tribunal that he and Buhari joined the Officer Cadre of the Nigerian Army on April 16, 1962.

He said English was the language of instruction during their military training and described Buhari’s performance during the programme as strong.

Tarfa also named some of their contemporaries in the military and said promotional examinations in the armed forces were conducted on merit.

According to him, Buhari performed successfully in such examinations during his military career.

Another witness, Suleman Mai’adua, who described himself as Buhari’s classmate at Katsina Provincial Secondary School, told the tribunal that they graduated in 1961 after sitting for the Cambridge University West African School Certificate examination.

Mai’adua presented a group photograph of the school’s 1961 class and identified himself and Buhari in the picture.

Earlier in the proceedings, the tribunal admitted 26 documents tendered by Buhari through his legal team.

The materials included certified copies of newspaper publications, the APC’s policy document titled “Roadmap to a New Nigeria,” and documents relating to Buhari’s secondary school examination.

The tribunal also admitted a certified copy of a Cambridge examination result sheet for Katsina Provincial Secondary School, a 1961 class photograph and a copy of Buhari’s curriculum vitae.

Another document admitted was a commendation letter relating to Buhari from the Commandant of the United States Army War College.

Counsel to Atiku and the PDP, Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the documents but reserved detailed reasons for the final address stage of the proceedings.

The tribunal, chaired by Justice Mohammed Garba, subsequently adjourned proceedings for continuation of the hearing.

Atiku and the PDP had approached the tribunal seeking to overturn Buhari’s re-election, while Buhari and the APC denied their allegations and asked the court to dismiss the petition.