Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (aka Jandor), the Lagos PDP Gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general elections, has challenged the verdict of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
The petition by Adediran against Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu‘s re-election was ruled dead on arrival by the tribunal on Monday.
The tribunal determined that the facts presented to it demonstrated that the petition lacked merit.
Adediran claimed that Sanwo-Olu was wrongfully nominated and sponsored by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and was therefore ineligible for the election.
In a statement issued by Mr Gbenga Ogunleye, Head, Media and Communications JANDOR4GOVERNOR Campaign Organisation, Adediran expressed his disappointment with the verdict of the Justice Arum Ashom-led 3-man tribunal.
Adediran said: “it is quite unfortunate that the tribunal in its wisdom refused to accept the credible and convincing evidence presented by his legal team on the non-qualifications of the APC and the Labour Party candidates in the election.”
Adediran said that the tribunal’s ruling did not represent the provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 on problems concerning the qualification of a candidate in an election.
He did, however, tell citizens of the state that the Lagos PDP will examine the decision and deliberate on the next course of action.
“This is not the end of the electoral process, it is just another stage. We will study the judgment and take decisions in the best interest of Lagos residents,” he said.
Similarly, the Lagos State PDP said it would strategize after reviewing the verdict.
In a statement, Alhaji Hakeem Amode, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary for Lagos State, said the party would know the next move after collecting the Certified True Copy of the verdict.
Amode said: “We urge our dedicated supporters to stay calm and abstain from any activities that may disrupt the harmony and order of our society.
“As a party, we are committed to undertaking a meticulous review of the judgment upon receipt of the Certified True Copy, and subsequently, we will issue precise directives to our legal team.
“The tenets of democracy are at the core of our party’s values, and we remain dedicated to fostering an inclusive society that serves the interests of all its citizens.
“We firmly believe that the appropriate avenue for addressing our concerns is through the legal process.”
According to him, the party will continue to pursue the lawsuit until a just and lawful settlement is reached.
“Our party is steadfast in its dedication to serving the populace to the fullest extent should the opportunity arise,” Amode said. (NAN)
