The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has alerted the public to an attempt to discredit the 71-year-old examination body; stressing that an allegation that it was frustrating efforts to investigate its results or certificates presented for elections by politicians is unfounded.
In a statement by its acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, WAEC said it is guided by the principles of professionalism, and vowed not to be intimidated into doing the unethical.
The Council noted that there have been publications in the media against it and that some of its unnamed officials have been accused of taking bribes to obstruct investigations into results or certificates presented by politicians.
Blueprint recall a recent report by Sahara Reporters alleging unnamed WAEC officials in Nigeria and Ghana of sabotaging the International Police (INTERPOL’s) efforts at investigating the WAEC records of the new Akwa Ibom state governor, Umo Eno.
“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,” Mrs Adesina said in a statement, adding: “The reports also bogusly claimed that an investigative agency had gone to Ghana and completed investigations while efforts to do so in Nigeria were blocked by some WAEC officials.”
WAEC denied the allegations and described them as “baseless, mischievous, and malicious,” even as it argued that it has been subpoenaed on several occasions by law courts and that it has always responded and provided all requested documents.
“WAEC is a legal entity that can sue and be sued. It is a law-abiding organisation with absolute respect for the judiciary. 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,” he said.
The statement further added that WAEC offices in Ghana and Nigeria operate independently.
The statement further said: “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 we administer the same international examinations.”
