The Candidate of the All Progressives Congress and his deputy in the March 18 governorship election in Lagos state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat have closed their defense against the candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, with the presentation of a star witness and evidence. The APC flagbearers are the second and
The Candidate of the All Progressives Congress and his deputy in the March 18 governorship election in Lagos state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat have closed their defense against the candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, with the presentation of a star witness and evidence.
The APC flagbearers are the second and third respondents to the petition filed by Mr Gbadebo Rhodes to challenge their victory in the state gubernatorial elections on the ground that he was not elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election, that he did not comply with the provisions of the electoral act 2022 and the constitution, and that Sanwo-Olu was not qualified at the time of the election to contest the poll.
Mr Rhodes is also questioning the eligibility of Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat to run in the election, claiming that Dr Hamzat has sworn an oath of allegiance to the United States of America and that his Nigerian citizenship is to be questioned.
While opening their defense at the tribunal on Monday, the 2nd and 3rd respondents, through their legal counsel, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), tendered 20 copies of Form EC8C of the Independent National Electoral Commission titled ‘summary of results from registration areas collation at local governments’, He also tendered a copy of form EC8D titled ‘summary of results from LGAs, collation at state level’.
The Senior Advocate additionally provided an INEC certified true copy of Form EC8E, which displays the declaration of results, the receipt of payment certification, and the certified true copy of Justice Emeka Nwite with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1454/2022 between Labour Party and INEC, to add to his defence’s body of evidence.
The legal counsel for the petitioner, Mr Olagbade Benson, and the attorneys for INEC and APC, P.E. Obiekor and A.J. Owonikoko, did not raise any objections to the document’s admissibility before the tribunal in response to the evidence that had been presented.
Adopting the documents as evidence, the tribunal’s three-member panel, led by Justice Arum Ashom, stated that in the absence of any objections to the documents presented before the tribunal, all documents would be permitted as exhibits.
The Sole Witness
After the documents were admitted and marked as exhibits, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN) invited Mr. Sanwo-Olu and his deputy’s witness into the tribunal. The star witness, Mr Fouad Ade Oki, a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress from Isale Eko identified himself as the state collation officer and the Director General of the party campaign for the presidential and governorship elections in Lagos state.
In his testimony, Mr Oki also identified the international passport of the third respondent, Dr Hamzat, to the United States of America and Nigeria, and he confirmed the list of governorship candidates for the state elections to buttress his accounts to the tribunal
He also confirmed that the third respondent had naturalized himself in the United States of America, saying that he has known Dr. Obafemi Hamzat for the past 23 years and is aware of the circumstances surrounding his admission to the country. himself to the country.
When the petitioner’s counsel, Mr. I.O. Benson, asked the witness during cross-examination if he attended the third respondent’s USA naturalization ceremony, since he was aware of the process the witness replied in the negative.
Mr. Oki informed the counsel’s attorney that he was only the state collation officer for the presidential and gubernatorial elections in response to whether he was the DG of the APC campaign.
During his testimony, the APC also confirmed before the tribunal that he witnessed the third respondent filling out the INEC Form EC9, which contains the personal information of the party’s candidate as well as the Oath that was taken on the nomination form.
Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), counsel for the APC, asked the witness during his cross-examination if the receipt tendered by the petitioner and the declaration of oath receipt tendered by the fourth respondent’s counsel contained the same content and reflected the same receipt number.
He responded affirmatively, claiming that the second and third respondents followed the due process to obtain their nomination forms at the Ikeja High Court registry. He also stated that they paid for documents that they expected to be free because they are government officials, but the court objected because they came in their individual capacities, so they would have to pay
Subsequently, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), the counsel to the 2nd and 3rd respondents informed the tribunal that their defence has ended, urging the tribunal to close their case.
