2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: TRIBUNAL DISMISSES LP’S RHODES-VIVOUR’S MOVE TO CONSOLIDATE PETITION WITH PDP
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal denied the appeal of the Labour Party’s candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who sought an order for leave to consolidate his petition with that of the People’s Democratic Party and its candidate, Olajide Adediran.
The tribunal, presided over by Justice Arum Igyen Ashom, also denied Mr. Rhodes-Vivour’s plea to file a new list of witnesses and their sworn declarations.
Last Friday, after hearing arguments from all parties, the three-judge panel denied the application for consolidation, citing differences in the parties as well as the facts, subject matter of their petitions, and relief sought.
The petition was filed by the LP candidate against the Independent National Electoral Commission, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Obafemi Hazmat, both of whom were declared winners of the March 18 election, as well as their party, the APC.
However, in Mr. Adediran’s petition, he and his party are the petitioners, while INEC, Messrs. Sanwo-Olu and Hazmat, the APC, and Mr. Rhodes-Vivour and his party are the respondents.
The tribunal further held that Mr. Adediran’s counsel had previously indicated in the pre-hearing information sheet, Form TF 008 of the Electoral Act 2022, that he did not want his action to be considered in conjunction with others.
The tribunal ruled in the second, denied application that the LP’s candidate should have sought leave of the court for an extension of time within which to modify his petition, as the Act’s 21-day deadline for filing an election petition had passed.
Justice Mikail Abdullahi and Justice Igho Braimoh are also members of the tribunal.
On Monday, the tribunal revised its earlier order on the number of witnesses to be summoned by parties in Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour’s case, permitting the APC, its candidate, and the LP to each present 30 witnesses. Only INEC stated that it would limit the number of witnesses to ten.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 13.
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