Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly called JANDOR, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 gubernatorial election in Lagos State has rejected Monday’s judgement of the Governorship Election Petition Court that affirmed Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu as validly elected during the election in March.
A three-man panel of the court affirmed the election of Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat and dismissed the petition of JANDOR and the PDP for lacking merit.
However, in a statement Monday night after the judgement, JANDOR expressed displeasure over the ruling of the Justice Arum Ashom led panel and described the verdict as unfortunate.
He noted that the judgement is not in comformity with the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, and vowed that the Lagos State chapter of PDP will study the judgement and decide on the next step to take.
He said, “It is quite unfortunate that the tribunal in its wisdom refused to accept the credible and convincing evidence present by the PDP legal team on the non-qualifications of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party candidates in the election. The decision of the tribunal does not reflect the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act 2022 on issues bothering on qualification of a candidate in an election.
“This is not the end of the electoral process, it is just another stage. We will study the judgement and take decisions in the best interest of Lagosians.”
Publicity Secretary, Lagos State PDP, Hakeem Amode urged members of the party to remain law abiding and avoid activities that may disrupt the harmony and order of our society.
The statement read,”While we refrain from providing a detailed analysis of the judgment at this juncture, we urge our dedicated supporters to maintain composure and abstain from any activities that may disrupt the harmony and order of our society.
“As a party, we are committed to undertaking a meticulous review of the judgment upon receipt of the Certified True Copy, and subsequently, we will issue precise directives to our legal team.
“The tenets of democracy are at the core of our party’s values, and we remain dedicated to fostering an inclusive society that serves the interests of all its citizens.
“We firmly believe that the appropriate avenue for addressing our concerns is through the legal process, and we are unwavering in our resolve to pursue our case until it reaches a just and lawful resolution.
“We retain utmost confidence in the people of Lagos State, who rightfully deserve the very best. Our party is steadfast in its dedication to serving the populace to the fullest extent should the opportunity arise.”
Credit: Daily Sun