Nigeria's Supreme Court has upheld the election of President Umaru Yar'Adua today to give him the mandate to lead Africa's most populous nation.
The court rejected challenges from his two closest rivals in the April 2007 election. They, along with foreign and local observers, alleged widespread vote-rigging.
The widely expected decision ends nearly two years of legal wrangling that has limited his authority and unnerved foreign investors in sub-Saharan Africa's second biggest economy.
With his legal challenges behind him, Mr Yar'Adua will face growing pressure to speed up reforms such as fixing the country's shoddy power infrastructure and improving security in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
The president's critics say he has moved too slowly on reforms, pointing to the long delays in drafting a 2009 budget, choosing a new cabinet, and revamping the energy sector.
Reuters