2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: TRIBUNAL ADJOURNS SANWO-OLU 'S DEFENSE TO TUESDAY FOR HEARING

Read Time:2 Minute, 54 Second

By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Lagos State Governorship Tribunal has granted a further date for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat to commence their defense in the petition filed against them by the People’s Democratic party,s candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (aka Jandor) and also to enable them prepare their documents of schedule in the proceedings.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Arum Ashom, announces the adjournment on Saturday, after Counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), proposed a suggestion that a further date be taken to enable the respondents serve them with the documents and see through the entirety of them.

He said, “I would like to propose a suggestion that the tribunal take a further date. I feel strongly that the documents are not necessary in this proceeding but, I want to reinstate my appeal, we would need to see through the entirety of the documents.”

The fifth respondent’s counsel, Mr Olagbade Benson, agreed to the suggestion made by the petitioner for the second and third respondents to review itself and it’s position.

“The second and third respondent’s counsel, Muiz Banire, needs to review himself and its position, so that he can serve us with the documents he wants us to rely upon.”

Mr Banire, however thanked the tribunal for giving him an hint on his position with the documents.

He said, “I’m grateful that the tribunal gave me this hint. On that hint, i can look at the documents now and review my position, since your lordships pointed that to me now.

I am ready to review myself now and see the ones we can do away with.

Justice Ashom, on that note adjourned the matter till Tuesday, 11th of July, 2023 for defense.

“In view of the suggestions, the tribunal finds it more expedient for the respondents to prepare this document of schedule. The defense will be taken on Tuesday.”

The tribunal had earlier stood the matter down till after break time, so as to enable the second and third respondent’s counsel, serve copies of the processes to the other parties and for continuation of hearing.

During the proceeding, the APC had tendered a document that is a certified true copy containing the list of Governorship candidates as released by Independent National Electoral Commission with the names of the second and third respondents in it.

“I want to start my day beautifully by tendering documents from the files that are certified true copies.

In the file is a list of Governorship candidate as released by INEC which contained the names of the second and third respondents. It is a six page documents titled: INEC 2023 General Election, list of Governorship candidates dated 9th March, 2023 signed by the relevant officials and certified.” he said.

The 5th respondent however, Mr Benson, objected to the tendering of the report on grounds that it was not listed in the documents presented before the Tribunal.

“The second and third respondents is in court with an avalanche of documents that we have not had the opportunity to see. We are prepared to go on, however, there is no schedule of documents filed to this court and he has not applied to tender the documents”

The sixth respondent, Olalekan Ojo, also objected while stating that the documents is not worthy to be tendered at the bar

The petitioner in agreement with the fifth and sixth respondent also objected to the tendering of the document.