The Supreme Court dismissed the suit alleging certificate forgery against the governor and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2020 governorship election in the state, Daily Dates Nigeria.

In the run-up to the election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one of its chieftains, Williams Edobor, had filed a suit against Obaseki at the Federal High Court, Abuja, alleging that the governor forged his Ordinary level (O’level) and university degree certificates which he tendered to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of his qualifications for the September 19, 2020, governorship election in Edo State.

The plaintiffs had asked the court to disqualify the first defendant, who won the election, in the event that he forged his university certificate obtained from the University of Ibadan (UI) in 1979.

However, in a judgement on January 9, 2021, the trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that the plaintiffs provided no iota of evidence before the court to establish that Obaseki forged either his O’level certificate or his degree certificate and therefore dismissed the suit.

Dissatisfied with the court’s decision, the APC had approached the Court of Appeal.

In a March 18, 2021, judgement, the appellate court held that the lower court was right in its findings and conclusions.

The court also held that the appeal lacked merit, and dismissed the suit accordingly.

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Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement said Buhari: “congratulated the winner and urged him to show grace and humility in victory.

In his reaction to the outcome of the election as announced by INEC, President Buhari said:

“My commitment to free and fair elections is firm, because without free and fair elections, the foundation of our political and moral authority will be weak.”

The President added: “I have consistently advocated for free and fair elections in the country because it is the bedrock of true democratic order.

“Democracy will mean nothing if the votes of the people don’t count or if their mandate is fraudulently tampered with.”

He commended the people of Edo State, the parties, candidates and security agencies for conducting themselves responsibly.

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