SANWO-OLU RECOMMITS TO GREATER LAGOS AGENDA AS COURT RE-AFFIRMS HIS ELECTION VICTORY
Written by Tunde Adeyemi on November 15, 2023
The three-member appellate panel headed by Justice Yagarta Nimpar in a unanimous decision dismissed the appeals filed by governorship candidates of the Labour Party, LP and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Lagos state for lacking in merit.
Addressing the issue of nomination, sponsorship and qualification of a candidate presumed to have won an election presented by both appellants, the court ruled that they are pre-election matters which ought not to have been mentioned.
On the issue that the governor presented a forged certificate, raised by the LP, the court held that the constitution doesn’t provide that a candidate needs to attach his certificate in his forms, adding that the PDP failed to establish the case of forgery.
Dismissing the appeal of Labour Party’s candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, hinged primarily on the alleged renunciation of Nigerian citizenship and the oath of allegiance sworn by the deputy governor, the court ruled that the material evidence needed to prove their case was not made available before the court.
Reacting to the judgement of the court, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu hailed the judgment as just.
The governor noted that he and his deputy, Hamzat have satisfied all the constitutional requirements and are now more focused on delivering democratic dividends and impacting the lives of Lagos residents positively, regardless of their political persuasion, in line with the THEMES+ development agenda.
Sanwo-Olu also extended an olive branch to his political opponents, urging them to join hands with his administration for a greater Lagos that he said keeps rising by the day.
