Kemisola Oye
THE People Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District, Mr. Adewale Segun Sunday (popularly known as Aeroland) have filed a petition against Adebule Idiat Oluranti, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was declared winner of the 25th February election alleging submission of a forged certificate to the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
Sunday in his petition marked EPT/LAG/SEN/04/2023 dated 18th March 2023, filed against Oluranti, the APC and INEC as First to Third Respondents, alleging that the former Lagos State Deputy Governor was not qualified to contest the election.
He stated that Mrs. Oluranti (First Respondent), was at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the election and was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes.
Aeroland stated that Oluranti did not possess the educational qualification to contest the election to the Lagos West Senatorial District held on Saturday, 25 February 2023 conducted by INEC.
The petitioner also alleges that Third Respondent (INEC) did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
“The election of the First and Second Respondents was invalid by reason of corrupt practices. Having presented forged certificates to the Third Respondent. The petitioner further pleads that the First Respondent had also previously in 2018 submitted a forged certificate to the Third Respondent herein along with his Form C.F.001.”
According to the petitioners, “In an attempt to meet the educational qualification required to contest the Lagos West Senatorial District conducted on the 25th day of February 2023, the First Respondent submitted to the Third Respondent a Form EC 9, Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars, whereof in Column C which required her to state the schools she attended beginning with Primary School and educational qualifications with dates, she only indicated that she graduated 1982 without stating the Primary School she attended.”
In a similar vein, Hon. Moshood Adegoke Salvador and his party, the Labour Party are challenging the declaration of Wasiu Eshinlokun as the winner of the election on the grounds of multiple thumb printing and ballot box stuffing during and after the election.
Salvador, in his petition marked EPT/LAG/ SEN/01/2023, alleged that “the election was marred by violence, intimidation, fracas, threat, malpractices and ballot boxes snatching, over-voting, a boycott of the BVAS machine, mutilation of results from polling units, etc. That the Second and Third Respondents engaged in the act of multiple thumb printing and ballot box stuffing during and after the election.”
He stated that the entirety of the Lagos Central Senatorial District of Lagos is invalid by reason of substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC Electoral Guidelines and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“That the First Respondent failed and or neglected to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC Electoral Guidelines during the conduct of the election as there was no due accreditation of voters and the result of the election was not electronically transmitted through the BVAS machine as provided by law.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media