The Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal has dismissed the Labour Party and its candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, from the petition filed by his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Olajide Adediran, commonly known as Jandor, challenging the 2017 governorship election.
During the recent session, the tribunal’s proceedings took an unusual turn. Following the formal announcement of all lawyers and parties interested in the case, the tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Arum Ashom, made an important pronouncement. He stated that the tribunal would first rule on the PDP’s and its candidate’s case before examining the appeal of the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour. Justice Ashom then gave the floor to his colleague, Justice Mikail Abdullahi, who read the panel’s decision. Justice Igho Braimoh is the panel’s third judge.
The tribunal’s judgment, as presented by Justice Abdullahi, initially focused on the preliminary objections raised by the parties involved. One of the primary objections raised was centered on whether the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat, could be considered a separate and distinct candidate from the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Furthermore, the tribunal was asked to determine whether the Deputy Governor could rightfully be listed as a respondent in the petition.
