Lagos State Governorship election saga: Tribunal to deliver judgement on Monday

The Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal will on Monday deliver judgement in the petitions filed by the Governorship candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor on the March 18, 2023 Governorship poll

Penpushing reports that the duo are challenging the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Governorship Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC)(Sanwo-Olu) it is recalled polled 762,134 votes to defeat Rhodes-Vivour of Labour Party (LP), who polled 312,329, and Adediran of the  Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) came third with 62,449 votes.

Penpushing further reports Adediran had prayed the court to disqualify Sanwo-Olu and Rhodes-Vivour in the election for non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 as well as the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The petition dated April 7, 2023 and marked EPT/LAG/GOV/01/2023 dated 7 April, argued that All Progressives Congress(APC) did not comply with the electoral timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election which stipulated that all political parties must give 21 days’ notice to the commission before the conduct of their primaries.

Penpushing also reports that the petitioner stated that the ruling party in same vein failed to comply with the requirement of the Electoral Act 2022 which states that every political party sponsoring a candidate in the general election shall submit the nomination form of such candidate(s) not later than 180 days before the conduct of the general election in forms EC9.

The Governorship Candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) added that  Sanwo-Olu failed to attach a copy of the GCE O’Level result he claimed to have sat for in 1981 along with his form EC9 as required by the Electoral Act 2022.

‘This development sparked a curiosity, with Adediran and PDP applying for the CTC of Sanwo-Olu 2019 from CF001. It was then discovered that a statement of result issued by Ijebu Ife Community Grammar School, Ijebu-Ife for May/June 1981 GCE O’ Level examination with examination number 17624/118 which he submitted for his first term election as governor of the state was not confirmed by WAEC’, the petition reads.

‘When Jandor and PDP approached WAEC for confirmation, they were directed to purchase the scratch card for verification of the WAEC result scratch card, which then confirmed the results as not emanating from WAEC, it came back to be a fake result’, the petition emphasized

Penpushing reports that Adediran in similar development hinged the disqualification of Labour Party (LP’s) Governorship candidate who scored the second highest number of votes on alleged non-compliance of the party with the requirements of the Electoral Act in the conduct of the primary election that produced the candidate.

The petitioner argued further in the petition that Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP) was still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as of 18 June 2022 when he claimed under oath to have registered as a member of the Labour Party (LP).

Penpushing further reports that Rhodes-Vivour on his part approached the court on 9 April challenging the election outcome based on alleged non-qualification and claims of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The Labour Party(LP) Governorship Candidate alleged that Sanwo-Olu was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election, and equally challenged the eligibility of the Deputy Governor, Hamzat to contest on grounds that he allegedly renounced his Nigerian citizenship and swore allegiance to the United States of America(USA).

Penpushing also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the first respondent in the petition, while Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy are listed as the second and third respondents, respectively, while All Progressives Congress (APC) is listed as the fourth respondent.

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