Mobolaji Michael
THE duo of Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (alias Jandor) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), governorship standard-beaters of their parties, will tomorrow (Monday 25 September 2023) know if either of them will be replacing the incumbent governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal deliver it’s verdict on their bid to have Mr Sanwi-Olu removed from office.
The Justice Arum Ashom-led panel announced the date in a notice to all parties in the matter on Saturday.
Also confirming the development, Mr Rhodes-Vivour posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday that he has been informed that the judgment of the election petition tribunal will be delivered on Monday.
He posted, “We have just been informed that judgment on our election petition at the tribunal will be delivered on Monday, the 25th of September.”
On his part, Jandor through his Head, Media and Communications, JANDOR4Governor Campaign Organisation, Gbenga Ogunleye, said in a statement on Saturday that “The Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal has announced that its verdict on the petitions filed by the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (JANDOR) in respect of the 2023 Governorship election in Lagos State will be delivered on Monday 25th September 2023.
“The tribunal will sit for delivery of the much-awaited judgment at the Roseline Omotosho Court House, Lagos High Court, Ikeja by 9 a.m.
“You are cordially invited.
“Kind Regards.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media reports that Mr Rhodes-Vivour and Jandor had asked the Tribunal to nullify the outcome of the election conducted on 18 March 2023 in the state, won by Mr Sanwo-Olu.
They alleged that the election was marred by fraud, voter intimidation, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Rhodes-Vivour, in his petition marked EPT/LAG/GOV/04/2023 dated 9 April 2023, urged the Tribunal to nullify Sanwo-Olu’s victory on the grounds that the APC candidate was not qualified to run in the election.
The LP candidate, in his petition, contended that Sanwo-Olu’s emergence as the winner “was invalid by reason of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The Second Respondent was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election.”
Similarly, the PDP candidate, Jandor, in his petition, contended that Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, were at the time of election not qualified to contest.
Adediran said the LP candidate, Rhodes-Vivour, who was declared the first runner-up, was not qualified to participate in the election either.
Jandor is urging the Tribunal to declare all the votes cast for the APC and the LP as wasted votes.
Apart from the PDP and the LP, other parties which filed petitions to challenge the outcome of the governorship election are the Allied People’s Movement; and the Action People’s Party.
Eighteen-Eleven Media