Gbadebo, Jandor optimistic as Appeal Court delivers judgement on Lagos state governorship election today

The much-anticipated judgment in the appeals filed by the Labour Party governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Abdulazeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, challenging Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s re-election is set to be delivered today, Wednesday, at the Court of Appeal in Lagos State.

A notice dispatched by the court confirmed the delivery of the judgment at 3 pm, signalling the culmination of a contentious legal battle.

Led by Justice Yargata Nimpar, the Court of Appeal panel had previously reserved judgment after considering arguments presented by the involved parties.

The panel, comprising Justices Samuel Bola and Paul Bassi, listened attentively to the appeals lodged by Rhodes-Vivour and the PDP, which contested the Election Petitions Tribunal’s decision affirming Sanwo-Olu’s victory.

During the proceedings on November 7th, Rhodes-Vivour’s lead counsel, Olagbade Benson, urged the court to consider their appeal, challenging the Tribunal’s dismissal of their petitions.

The appeal primarily hinged on legal interpretations of constitutional provisions related to the qualifications of the deputy governor and raised concerns about evidence handling and the burden of proof.

The appeals highlighted various grounds challenging the Tribunal’s decision, alleging errors in dismissing subpoenaed witnesses’ evidence, failure to disqualify Sanwo-Olu and his deputy over citizenship issues, and contentions regarding discrepancies in Sanwo-Olu’s educational certificates.

In response, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, emphasized that the alleged dual citizenship issue was presented after the Tribunal and urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

Similarly, the PDP’s Jandor lodged 34 grounds of appeal against the Tribunal’s judgment. His request sought the disqualification of the APC and Labour Party candidates and contested the Tribunal’s treatment of the disqualification issue as a pre-election matter.

Adediran also questioned the Tribunal’s striking out of the Labour Party and its candidate from his petition, citing allegations against Rhodes-Vivour and highlighting discrepancies in Sanwo-Olu’s educational qualifications.