Uchendu Alexis
Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State for the 2023 general elections, has called for the transfer of his appeal hearing to Abuja in a bid to ensure fairness and objectivity.
In a letter addressed to Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, Jandor expressed concerns about potential political interference in Lagos and sought a more impartial venue.
The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Ikeja had previously dismissed Jandor’s petitions, citing a lack of compelling evidence.
On October 13, Jandor filed an appeal, challenging the qualifications of candidates from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP), and requesting that the votes recorded for these parties be deemed wasted due to their non-qualification.
Justice Dongban-Mensem, in an effort to remove political interference, had transferred election petition cases pending before the Court of Appeal in the 36 states to Abuja and Lagos. This move ensures that appeal cases on governorship and national and state assembly elections are heard by unique panels in Lagos and Abuja, rather than in the various divisions of the court.
Jandor’s request for a transfer reflects concerns about potential influence from the ruling APC government in Lagos State, which could impact the proceedings and the panel’s decision if the appeals were to be determined in Lagos.
