Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has lauded the Supreme Court’s rejection of certificate forgery evidence by Atiku Abubakar to affirm President Bola Tinubu’s electoral victory in the February 25 presidential election. 

Mr Sanwo-Olu, a political progeny of Mr Tinubu, disclosed in a statement shared on his X handle on Thursday, shortly after Supreme Court’s judgment. 

“I am delighted by the Supreme Court’s verdict reaffirming H.E President Bola Tinubu’s electoral victory in the February 25, 2023 Presidential election. 

“This judgment is a clear validation of the mandate freely given by the people of Nigeria to President Tinubu, who will lead our nation from May 29, 2023, to May 2027,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said. 

On Thursday, the apex court affirmed Mr Tinubu’s victory, rejecting fresh evidence of certificate forgery tendered before it by opposition politician, Mr Abubakar. 

“Facts and matters that were not rendered in the tribunal have no place in the appeal,” Justice John Okoro ruled, adding that “A petitioner shall not be allowed to introduce new evidences in an appeal.”

Last month, the Chicago State University, in a deposition, revealed that Mr Tinubu presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following court order compelling the institution to grant access into Mr Tinubu’s academic records. 

However, the Supreme Court’s rejection of fresh certificate forgery evidence on Thursday, left opposition counsel with no option to argue for Mr Tinubu’s ouster in line with Nigerian constitution. 

Section 137 (1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution (amended in 2010) states that no one would be legitimately elected president of Nigeria if the person “has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

Though Thurday’s judgement did not clear Mr Tinubu’s forgery scandal, sparking criticisms from Nigerians, the president, in an interview with state-owned NTA television, said the apex court’s judgement had put an end to “shenanigans, lies, media trial” against him.