Prove President Goodluck Jonathan’s PhD qualification by providing verifiable facts about his doctoral thesis, former Petroleum Minister, Tam David-West, has asked the Director of Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Organisation (PDPCO), Femi Fani-Kayode.
David-West, a professor of virology, said since Fani-Kayode is interested in academic qualifications of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, he should also provide facts about Jonathan’s academic record.
“I have five questions for Femi Fani-Kayode. Question one; please tell me the title of Jonathan’s PhD thesis. Please tell me the name of his supervisor. Please tell me who examined the thesis. Before whom did he defend his thesis? How many scientific papers has he published after his PhD?” he asked
“I am asking all these questions because as an academic, and a professor since 1974, I am interested in academic purity. I had my PhD in 1966 from McGill University. I have always fought for academic purity. So, Femi Fani-Kayode should please tell me the title of Jonathan’s PhD thesis.”
David-West said his posers on Jonathan’s qualification do not mean that he doubts Jonathan’s PhD degree, but a way of advancing academic purity. “I am not saying that Jonathan does not have a PhD. But since Fani-Kayode is interested in academic qualifications, I agree with him.
“This is not the first time I have asked this kind of question. Over 15 years ago, one of the governors of Rivers State claimed five degrees. And I came to the press to ask where he got the degrees, and in what year. It was published. I have the record.
“It is not necessary for Jonathan to have a PhD to become President. It is not necessary for Jonathan to have any certificate to contest to be President.
“But where a politician claims to have a degree, then those of us who are in academic business must ask him some questions relevant to the degree. We cannot follow him blindly.”
David-West also berated those calling for a postponement of election.
“This is the first time in the history of Nigeria where a government in power is afraid of election. They never prepared for what they are seeing now. It took them by surprised.”
He reiterated that it is only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that can ask for a postponement of election, and it must give good reasons.
But “the INEC has not come to say please give us more time. The INEC has always said that it will conduct a credible election.”