Tribunal Resumes Hearing Of Petitions Against Sanwo-Olu
The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has resumed the hearing of two petitions filed by governorship candidates of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Owolabi Salis, and his Labour Party counterpart, Ifagbemi Awamaridi.
The three-man panel chaired by Justice Terhemen Asua today listened to the testimonies of the petitioners challenging the return of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Governor of Lagos.
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In his testimony, the governorship candidate of the AD, Owolabi Salis alleged that the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sabotaged him by refusing to make available to him the original copies of certain documents he wanted to tender as evidence before the tribunal.
Salis also alleged irregularities in the result sheets presented and subsequently sought to tender certain volumes of documents (INEC form EC 18 and EC8) for polling units in Apapa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Amuwo Odofin, Kosofe and Somolu local governments. He also sought to tender memorandum, some nomination forms and affidavits.
The respondents objected to the admissibility of the documents on the grounds that they were irrelevant.
Apart from the Lagos State Government, other respondents to the petition are; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressive Congress (APC), the Resident Electoral Commisioner, The Returning Officer, Lagos State Governorship Election, The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Nigerian Army.
The petitioner has however asked the court to discountenance the objections of the respondents insisting that their objections were mischevious and misconstrued.
Salis also asked the tribunal to compel INEC to bring before it all documents requested and paid for by the petitioners, as a refusal to do so would amount to sabotage.
In the petition, the petitioners are asking the tribunal to grant the will of Lagosians by cancelling what they termed the “fraudulent election of Gov. Sanwo-Olu”.
The tribunal has adjourned further proceedings till August 21 for further hearing.
