The people Democratic Party, PDP has told the court of Appeal sitting in Lagos that his candidate for the 2023 Governorship election in Lagos state Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran popularly known as Jandor is the only candidate who met the constitutional requirement to stand for the March 18th governorship elections amongst the trio before the court.
The party said both the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour respectively were not qualified to contest the 2023 election due to their constitutional breach.
PDP informed the court that its candidate is the only constitutionally qualified Candidate for Lagos governorship election and asked the Court of Appeal to disqualify Sanwo-Olu and Rhodes-Vivour.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Tuesday November 7, 2023, however adjourned the matter and promised to get back to the parties concerned on the 34 Grounds of Appeal filed by
Dr. Adediran and the PDP in the appeal dated October 13, 2023.
Jandor had expressed dissatisfaction in the alleged mis-carriage of laws that characterized the tribunal judgement and therefore asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the tribunal.
In his notice of appeal, he said that the State Election Petitions Tribunal erred in law and thereby reached a wrong conclusion when it dismissed the petition, he filed to challenge the qualifications of Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu of APC who was announced as the winner of the election.
He also faulted the tribunal for striking out from his petition, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the candidate of the Labour Party in the election, saying contrary to the holding of the Tribunal, since he also alleged that the sponsorship of Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, was also invalid, the Tribunal must also invalidate his candidacy before he could take benefits of their unpardonable infractions.
JANDOR and his political party, the PDP reiterated that their petitions, asking for the disqualification of the duo of APC and Labour Party candidates are premised on the provision of section 177(c) and 182(1)(j) of the constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria, which are constitutional grounds for qualification and disqualification for the office of Governor in Nigeria and supported by section 134(1) and 134(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
After listening to the counsels of both the PDP and the All-Progressives Congress (APC), the three-member Appeal Court adjourned the matter and promised to get across to the counsels of both the petitioners and the respondents on the date for judgement.
