Uproar Over Buhari's 'Missing' School Certificate

The academic qualifications of Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari are again making headlines because the 76-year-old is seeking re-election in February.

According to the constitution, to run for president a candidate must show that they at least have a school-leaving certificate that must be submitted to the electoral commission.

In 2015, Mr Buhari, a former military head of state, failed to present the relevant documents.

He said that if the electoral authorities needed the documentation, they should contact the military, where he had spent most of his career.

This time round he has again referred the election commission to the military - something that is causing an uproar on social media, and the acronym WAEC - which stands for West African Examination Council - is trending in Nigeria.

Last month, the police tried to stop a candidate for running for governor of Osun state, saying he had forged his qualifications, but the president stepped in and the vote went ahead.

Mr Buhari's main rival in the upcoming elections, Atiku Abubakar, has presented his credentials, which include a diploma in law from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria.