Lagos State Governor Ambode floors Agbaje again

The Lagos Division Court of Appeal wednesday affirmed the verdict of the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which upheld the declaration of Akinwunmi Ambode as the winner of the April 11 governorship election.

The appellate court aligned with the July 1, 2015, decision of the Justice Muhammad Sijaro-led tribunal which declared as incompetent and therefore struck out the petition by the first runner-up in the said election, Jimi Agbaje, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The three-man tribunal had in their ruling upheld Ambode’s victory, ruling  that: “In the instant petition, apart from seeking an order nullifying the election of the second respondent, the petitioner did not ask for an order for fresh election.

“So, if for instance, the election is nullified, the people of Lagos State will be left in anarchy as no order can validly be made for the conduct of fresh election, same having not been sought.

“Where such a prayer is lacking, the petition will be incompetent and academic as even the resolution of such  petition in favour of the petitioner will not confer any utilitarian value on the petitioner(s).”

Again, at the Court of Appeal yesterday, the five-man appeal panel did not only dismissed Agbaje’s appeal on the grounds of incompetence but also ordered him to compensate each of the respondents in the sum of N50,000 each.

Ambode was returned winner of the April 11, poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having polled 811,994 votes ahead of Agbaje who polled 659,788 votes.

While arguing Ambode’s cross-appeal against Agbaje, PDP, the NEC and the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) before the upper court, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) submitted that Agbaje and PDP’s petition was “irredeemably defective” because it raised an issue that had no relationship with the reliefs they sought.

Olanipekun stated that one of the petitioners claimed there were “corrupt practices” during the election, which he said differed from what they pleaded.

Meanwhile, Ambode  has described the Court of Appeal decision as a welcome development and a vindication of the people’s mandate which was expressly demonstrated on the election day.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the governor, in his reaction to the Appeal Court ruling, said: “The decision of the appeal court is a further testimony to the affirmation of our victory by the tribunal and a vindication of the mandate of the people as expressed in the April, 11 2015 elections.”

The governor however urged the opposition to sheath their swords, move the state partisanship and join hands with his administration to move Lagos to the next level.

“With the appeal court decision, I think it is time for us to put electioneering matters and its attendant issues behind us. Our victory at the polls had earlier been adjudged as fair and square, the tribunal confirmed this and now the appeal court has upheld that decision. Isn’t it time for our opponents to sheath their swords,” he said.

“I have never for once doubted the outcome of the polls. We had one of the most gruesome campaigns that took us across the length and breadth of the state. Our party’s strides over the last 16 years was also a scorecard that Lagosians voted for. I have consistently maintained my administration’s desire to work with every Lagosian, no matter the party,” he said.