The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has granted an ex-parte application by Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), for a substituted service on the state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Recall that last month, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos winner of the Governorship elections.
Professor Adenike Oladiji, Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, (FUTA) Akure, the Returning Officer, announced the result in Lagos.
She said that Sanwo-Olu polled a total of 762, 134 votes to defeat his closest rival of the Labour Party, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour who scored 312, 329 votes.
Unsatisfied with the electoral results, GRV filed a petition against the Governor and All Progressives Congress Candidate.
Rhodes-Vivour and Labour Party, through their counsel, Olagbade Benson, had informed the tribunal that Sanwo-Olu evaded service of the petition on him by the court’s bailiff.
They alleged that Sanwo-Olu refused to collect the document from the bailiff when the court official got to his office to serve him.
In the petition number EPT/LAG/GOV/04/2023, they are praying the court to grant them leave to serve the petition and other processes on the governor and his deputy through substituted means, by posting same via DHL courier services or any other recognized courier service company, to the respondent’s official residence at Lagos House, Marina, Lagos.
On 11 April, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran known as Jandor, and the Labour Party Candidate, Rhodes-Vigour, separately asked the tribunal to nullify Mr. Sanwo-Olu’s re-election and declare them the winners.
The petitioners had challenged the outcome of the 18 March Governorship Election in Lagos State which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Sanwo-Olu the winner.
The Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal has received a total of 48 petitions in respect of the 2023 elections held on 25 February and 11 March.
The petitions are pasted on the wall of the Rosaline Omotosho Courthouse, Ikeja, venue of the tribunal sitting.
NAN
