The Court of Appeal Lagos Division on Wednesday affirmed the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress in the March 18 governorship election in the state.
The appellate court affirmed the verdict of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which on September 25 dismissed the petitions filed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party to challenge Sanwo-Olu’s victory.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Sanwo-Olu the winner with 762,134 votes.
LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour came second with 62,499 votes, while Olajide Adediran, alias Jandor, of the PDP picked the rear with 62,499 votes.
A three-man appellate court panel, led by Justice Yargata Nimpar, unanimously dismissed the two separate appeals filed by Jandor and Rhodes-Vivour for lacking in merit.
Justices Samuel Bola and Paul Bassi were the other members of the panel.
In the lead judgment on Wednesday, Justice Nimpar held that Jandor lacked the locus to question the primary of the APC that produced Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as the party’s flag-bearers.
The judge said, “The appellant was a meddlesome interloper in challenging the emergence of Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat at the primary exercise of their party, All Progressives Congress; the appellant was neither an aspirant nor a member of the APC.”
Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on Wednesday, said, “With a sense of humility, I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal, which ruled today in our favour, thereby validating the position of Lagosians who freely cast their ballots to return me and my deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat as Governor and Deputy Governor of our dear state. We do not take it for granted.
“Today’s judicial pronouncements, like those of the Lagos State Election Petitions Tribunal, have buoyed my confidence in our country’s judicial system.
“The court examined all the issues and did justice to them, without leaving anyone in doubt as to who is the rightful winner of the election.
“Our party, the All Progressives Congress will continue to maintain its firm belief in the judicial process.”
