The Court of Appeal in Lagos has begun the process of hearing appeals challenging the verdict of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which previously upheld the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
On Tuesday morning, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, arrived at the Court premises to represent Governor Sanwo-Olu.
The Election Petitions Tribunal had previously confirmed the victory of Sanwo-Olu and his deputy on September 25, 2023. The two petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, along with their respective governorship candidates, Olajide Adediran and Rhodes-Vivour, were unanimously dismissed by the three-man panel led by Justice Mikail Abdullahi.
The tribunal ruled that the PDP’s petition lacked merit and was consequently dismissed.
“I affirm the election and return of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as the duly elected governor of Lagos state,” the Tribunal had ruled.
In the course of the tribunal’s deliberation, the issue of competence and jurisdiction to hear the petition was settled. Justice Abdullahi emphasized that this matter had already been addressed during the preliminary objection stage.
Lagos Election Tribunal Upholds Sanwo-Olu’s Victory as Governor
Another critical aspect of the tribunal’s consideration was whether Governor Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat were validly nominated by their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to participate in the elections. Citing constitutional provisions, the Electoral Act, and various precedents, the tribunal clarified that this matter pertained to pre-election concerns and was not related to the conduct of the contested polls.
The tribunal further concluded that the petitioners, who were not members of the APC, lacked the standing to challenge the party’s primary elections, which led to the selection of both candidates.
The hearing at the Court of Appeal in Lagos is expected to shed further light on these complex legal considerations.
