The Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal has affirmed the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the March 18 gubernatorial election. In a landmark ruling, the three-man tribunal, headed by Justice Arun Ashom, dismissed the petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate for Lagos State, Abdulazeez Adediran (a.k.a. Jandor), and his Labour Party counterpart, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
Ineligibility Claims Dismissed
The tribunal’s 11-hour judgment declared Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as the winners of the election. The tribunal addressed the issue of Deputy Governor Hamzat’s alleged dual citizenship, with the petitioner arguing that his American naturalization rendered him ineligible for a political position in Nigeria. However, the tribunal held that Hamzat, being a Nigerian citizen by birth, maintained his right to run for political office in Nigeria, despite his oath of allegiance to the United States. The tribunal rejected the claims, affirming the eligibility of both Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat.
Insufficient Evidence for Disqualification
The tribunal further dismissed the petition filed by Abdulazeez Adediran, which alleged that Sanwo-Olu was wrongfully nominated and sponsored by the All Progressives Party (APC) and was thus unqualified for the election. The tribunal ruled that such a contention did not qualify as grounds for disqualification from the governorship election, as specified by Sections 177 and 182 of the Nigerian Constitution. The tribunal also stated that it lacked jurisdiction to investigate the primary election of the APC that produced Sanwo-Olu as the candidate, as it fell under the purview of pre-election matters. The tribunal held that only aspirants or members of a political party have the right to challenge the outcome of a party’s primary election.
INEC’s Declaration Upheld
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously declared Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the governorship election, with a total of 762,134 votes. Rhodes-Vivour secured 312,329 votes, while Adediran trailed with 62,449 votes.
With this ruling, the tribunal has confirmed the election of Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as the duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Lagos State.
Sources: NAN
