There was jubilation in some parts of Lagos on Wednesday afternoon after the State Governorship Tribunal threw out the petition of Jimi Agbaje, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the governorship election of April 11 in state.
In these areas of the state, including the Acme Road, Agidingbi office of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under which Governor Akinwunmi Ambode contested, many party members were seen dancing and celebrating.
The Tribunal struck out the petition filed against the election of Ambode of the APC by Agbaje following a preliminary objection filed by the counsel to the APC candidate, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).
Olanipekun had argued at the resumed hearing on Thursday, 25th June that the petition should be struck out for being incompetent and that there was no correlation between the reliefs sought by the petitioner and the particulars of application on one hand and the grounds for questioning the election of Ambode on the other hand.
“The grounds and particulars in the petition are at opposites with the facts and reliefs being sought within the purview of Section 285(2) of the 1999 Constitution. I urge my Lordships to dismiss the petition,” Olanipekun had said.
He had stated that there is nowhere in the pleading where the petitioners attacked the victory of the respondents or questioned the conduct of the election, saying: “I submit that there is no petition before your lordships known to law. There are no grounds challenging the election of my client under Section 138(b)(c) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.”
According to him, the court cannot act on sentiment and sympathy of parties, emphasizing that sympathy does not override clear provisions of the law.
Ambode, who was excited over the victory, described the confirmation of his victory at the polls as a welcome development which is a reaffirmation of the mandate given to him by the people of Lagos State.
In his reaction to the ruling of the State Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Mohammed Sirajo, the Governor said: “I am elated at the ruling of the tribunal which is an affirmation of my victory at the polls.
“On April 11, 2015, the people of Lagos spoke with their votes about continuity and that is what the tribunal has just reaffirmed.
“The task ahead requires concerted efforts from everyone. I urge all my opponents to put the election struggles behind them and in the spirit of sportsmanship join hands with me to take Lagos to the next level,” the Governor said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna.
“It was needless in the first place for the PDP to have petitioned my election which was adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
“Now that the right thing has been done which of course the people expected, we should all come together above partisanship and move the State forward.”
Also, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, described the victory of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; and the APC at the state Elections Petitions Tribunal as well deserved.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos after the tribunal verdict, Rt. Hon. Obasa, stated that the tribunal verdict was a further confirmation that indeed the people of the state voted for Ambode and the APC.
“We are happy with the verdict and it was a further proof of the legality of our Governor’s and APC’s victory during the election,” he said.
According to him, Lagosians have always abide themselves with the progressives hence the results of the last elections in the state should not have generated any contention.
“Lagosians have always cast their lots with the progressives, therefore, the results of the elections in the state in which APC symbolised by our Governor and other candidates of the party won convincingly should not have given room for any contention.
“But this is democracy and democracy allows one to challenge elections results which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate have done and the Tribunal has judiciously done its job.
“I’m using this opportunity to congratulate our Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and our great party on this well deserved victory and pray that this particular victory serves harbinger for more victories from the Election Tribunal,” the Lagos Assembly Speaker said.