The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, Wednesday upheld the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, affirming the tribunal judgement delivered on the 25th of September.
The court equally dismissed both appeals filed by the governorship candidates of the People’s Democratic Party, Abdulazeez Adediran and the labour party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour challenging the verdict of the Lagos state governorship tribunal for lacking in merit.
The three member appellate panel headed by Justice Yagarta Nimpar in a unanimous decision dismissed the appeals filed by Lagos state governorship candidates of the labour party and PDP 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 to have been mentioned at a tribunal not a regular court.
On the issue that the governor presented a forged certificate, raised by labour party, the court held that the constitution does not provide that a candidate needs to attach his certificate to 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, the deputy governor of Lagos state, Obafemi Hamzat, promised to remain focused in fulfilling his mandate.
The governorship candidates of the PDP and the labour party had both filed separate appeals in the month of October after tribunal dismissed their petitions on the 25th of September.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
