The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has reaffirmed the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, affirming his position as the duly elected governor of Lagos State.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the tribunal has dismissed the petitions lodged by Olajide Adediran popularly known as Jandor of the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the LP (Labour Party).
In an unanimous judgment read by Justice Mikail Abdullahi on behalf of the three-man panel on Monday, the tribunal held that the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate Olajide Adediran lacks merit.
In arriving at its verdict, the court initially addressed the preliminary objections raised by the involved parties.
Firstly, the tribunal examined the question of its competence and jurisdiction to entertain the petition. Justice Abdullahi confirmed its authority and asserted that this matter had already been settled during the preliminary objection phase.
Subsequently, the tribunal turned its attention to the second matter in question: whether Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, received valid nominations from their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to partake in the elections. The tribunal referenced relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, as well as numerous prior legal precedents, clarifying that this constituted a pre-election issue unrelated to the conduct of the contested polls.
Additionally, the tribunal determined that the petitioners were not affiliated with the 4th respondent, the APC, and therefore lacked the legal standing to challenge the party’s primary elections that selected both candidates.
Regarding the alleged presentation of a forged certificate by Governor Sanwo-Olu, the tribunal noted, among other factors, that the petitioner, Jandor, stated during his testimony that Sanwo-Olu did not attend Community Grammar School, Ijebu-Ife, the institution from which the certificate originated. Notably, the petitioner also mentioned that the school’s principal was still alive.
Curiously, the tribunal questioned why the petitioner did not summon the school’s principal or any staff members as witnesses to testify regarding the authenticity of the certificate.
The tribunal therefore held, “that the petition lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed.
“I affirm the election and return of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as the duly elected governor of Lagos state. Parties are to bear their cost.”
