By Kayode Fasua
A pan-Yoruba group from the Ondo-Ekiti axis, Sunshine Liberation Movement (SLM), has asked those casting aspersion at the academic qualification of the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) , Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to”shut up”.
In a statement by its National coordinator, Elder Dipo Ajidahun, the SLM stated that raising fresh issues on Tinubu’s academic qualification now is like flogging a dead horse.
“Here is a matter that had been contested up to the highest court in the land, which is the Supreme Court and Tinubu was given a clean bill of health as the apex court affirmed that the allegations that Tinubu forged his certificates lacked merit.
“We thus wonder why the man’s detractors find it convinient to run to town with their tar brush in a trite issue that has been thrown into the dustbin of history,” the SLM quipped.
Specifically, Ajidahun, the group’s arrowhead, who is a security expert, noted, “There is what is called ‘Autrefois Acquit’, meaning that an accused person who had been discharged and acquitted over an offence cannot be arraigned for same offence again
“Sama way, there is ‘Autrefois Convict’, meaning that an accused person who had been found guilty and convicted over an offence cannot also be arraigned for the same offence again”.
Ajidahun remarked that arguments over Tinubu’s academic qualifications had been pursued up to the Supreme Court in the past and that the apex court gave the former Lagos governor a clean bill of health, wondering why some people “are now wasting time on the same issue””.
The group, however, said raising lame issues now is only meant to distract Tinubu and make him lose focus on his campaign strategies.
The SLM added that it particularly identified with the welfarist agenda proposed for Nigerians by the APC presidential flagbearer.
“We are particularly impressed by the reform agenda proposed by Tinubu for his Presidency; especially his vow to constitute State Police aside from Federal Police, with a view to stemming the tide of insecurity that has lain Nigeria prostrate.”
The SLM, as such, urged Nigerians to rise above “the politics of witch-hunt and financial greed, and instead task people aspiring for public offices on what they have to offer in terms of programmes”.
