Lagos Tribunal: Rhodes-Vivour closes suit against Sanwo-Olu

On Tuesday, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, candidate for governor of Lagos State in 2023 under the Labour Party (LP), dropped his challenge to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s re-election on March 18.

Rhodes-Vivour is also casting doubt on Obafemi Hazmat’s ability to run for office as Deputy Governor of Lagos State on the basis that he abandoned his Nigerian citizenship and pledged allegiance to the United States of America.

Mr. Idowu Benson, the petitioner’s counsel, informed the three-justice tribunal chaired by Arum Ashom that the petitioner was closing his case when the governorship election petition tribunal began its hearing on Tuesday.

In the petition filed by the Labour Party candidate, ten witnesses were heard from.

The attorney also submitted to the tribunal a Certified True Copy (CTC) of INEC Form EC9, an affidavit giving a candidate’s particulars, which had been hand-filled by Hamzat and pre-loaded by the attorney for the fourth respondent, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

All four respondents’ attorneys raised objections to the petitioner’s paper being admitted into evidence.

However, the paper was accepted by the court and designated as Exhibit PE713 by the judge presiding over the case.

Mr. Noris Quakers (SAN), for the APC, argued that the CTC submitted by the petitioner was being held in storage by the first respondent and hence was not part of the official court record.

“It’s not evidence in this court.

“Only an official paper from the Independent National Electoral Commission will do.

After saying that “we will further argue on why this document should not be admitted in the final written address,” he said, “we will submit a final written address.”

Mr. Eric Obigor, counsel for INEC, praised the petitioner for bringing the issue to a close and said he would choose a date to commence INEC’s defense.

The court ruled that the first respondent must present his case at the next scheduled hearing, but he asked for extra time to prepare.

Mr. Bode Olanipekun (SAN), counsel for Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, praised the petitioner for withdrawing its action but said the defendants should have done so sooner.

On Monday, the proceedings reportedly halted due to the health of an LP witness.

The tribunal, however, postponed INEC’s opportunity to present its defense until July 15.