Tribunal says Lagos PDP governorship candidate’s petition dead on arrival

The Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal on Monday declared as dead on arrival a petition of the state governorship candidate of the PDP, Dr. Abdulazeez Adediran (a.k.a. Jandor), against Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s election.

The tribunal held that evidencebefore it showed that the petition lacked merit.

Adediran had contended that Sanwo-Olu was wrongfully nominated and sponsored by his party, the All Progressives Party (APC), and, therefore, was not qualified for the election.

However, Justice Mikail Abdullahi, while reading the tribunal’s decision on the matter, held that the position did not form part of the grounds for disqualification for election into the office of a governor under Sections 177 and 182 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended).

The tribunal also declared that it had no powers to inquire into the primary election of the APC, which produced Sanwo-Olu, adding that the issue was a pre-election matter that did not fall under its jurisdiction.

“Only an aspirant or member of a political party can complain about the outcome of the party’s primary election, not a busybody like the petitioner,” Abdullahi held.

Abdullahi said, “The second respondent has the highest number of votes; this petition is dead on arrival.

“In view of the evidence adduced before this tribunal, the grounds on which the petitioner is seeking the disqualification of the second and third respondents (Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat) lack merit.

“Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat are eminently eligible to contest under Section 177 of the Constitution as they are members of a political party and educated up to school certificate level.

“In view of the evidence before the tribunal, I have found Gov. Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Hamzat, duly elected, and I therefore declare them winner of the March 18 governorship poll.”

The tribunal will also deliver judgement in a petition filed by Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party governorship candidate for Lagos State.