Lagos West Senatorial election: Adeola floors Adewale at tribunal


*tribunal says no evidence to prove allegations of irregularities as petitioner failed to call party agents in polling units

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lagos has declared All Progressives’ Congress candidate, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola winner of the March 28, 2015  Lagos West Senatorial election.

The three-man tribunal led by Justice Sylvanus Orji, yesterday delivered  the judgment  in the petition filed by the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  Segun Adewale, challenging the victory of Senator Adeola in the election.

In a unanimous judgment that lasted two and half hours, the tribunal dismissed the petition of the PDP candidate for lack of merit and incompetence.

Adewale had sued Adeola, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asking that he should be declared the winner.

Adewale was represented by his lead counsel, Dr YemiOke while Adeola was represented by R.A Olagoke. Dr.MuizBanire (SAN)  represented the APC with INEC  represented by Oluwaseun Olusiyi.

Adewale, in the petition had alleged that the election was characterized by irregularities and rigged to favour the APC candidate.

He had further alleged that the results submitted by the various wards did not correspond with the number of voters accredited by the card readers, and that election did not hold in some wards among other irregularities.

He therefore urged the tribunal to declare him as winner of the election.

But the APC in its preliminary objection contended that the petitioner (Adewale) lacked the locus standi to institute the action.

The party argued that the petitioner did not specify the law under which he brought the petition and also failed to state the votes scored by the candidates.

“By provision of Electoral Act, the petitioner is expected to specify the scores of all the candidates in the election. He only specified his own score and that of the APC candidate who is the  respondent.”

Adeola, on his part, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the ground that it lacked merit.

He specifically contended that there was  material contradiction with the petitioner’s prayer and urged the court to declare him winner.

The tribunal however disagreed with Adewale’s contention, insisting that there was no substantial evidence to prove that Senator Adeola was not qualified to run for the election.

On the claim of the petitioner that there were irregularities at the polling units, the tribunal held that Adewale did not provide substantial evidence to validate his claim.

In the view of the tribunal, the party agents at the polling units failed to provide evidence that there were irregularities at several polling units, to confirm such allegation and claims by the petitioner.

The tribunal held that in the absence of any evidence from any party agent, that Adewale’s allegation of irregularities at several polling unit was mere speculation.

The tribunal however chided  Adewale and his legal team for disregarding the court’s guideline in filing his final written submission.

The tribunal members noted that Adewale’s legal team filed 104 pages of final written address as against the 40 pages stipulated by law.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Lagos Mainland Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Moshood Olarenwaju Oshun yesterday declared that his victory at the Lagos State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal is a confirmation that he truly earned the confidence and trust of the people in the constituency.

Oshun, who spoke through his media office after the tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State yesterday upheld his victory at the 2015 election, further said the people of his constituency should be congratulated for their steadfastness, support and cooperation with the All Progressives Congress, APC, through which he emerged candidate and won the election.

Ibrahim Olumide Ajiga of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had petitioned the tribunal, headed by Justice Sylvester Orji, challenging the declaration of MoshoodOlanrewaju by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC