10th October, 2012
The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has demanded the immediate swearing in of its candidate, Babajide Ibrahim Obanikoro, as the duly elected chairman of Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, as ordered by the Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal.
The state publicity secretary of the party, Barr. Taofeek Gani commended the panel, positing that Governor Fashola should direct the immediate swearing in of the declared winner to show that the governor is not unduly partisan and that he upholds the rule of law.
He said: “The panel is headed by Retired Justice Akinsanya, who declared the ING as illegal in 1993. In a 4-1 judgement in favour of PDP, members of the panel directed that the swearing-in should be done within 24 hours. This is a victory for democracy and the rule of law. It also shows that we still have people with conscience in this country.
It would be recalled that the Lagos State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal declared the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr. Babajide Obanikoro, as the validly elected chairman of the Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area of the state.
This was contrary to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, declaration that the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Mr. Adewale Adeniji, won the election conducted on 22 October, 2011.
The five-man tribunal, presided over by retired Justice Dolapo Akinsanya, while delivering judgment on the petition filed by Obanikoro challenging Adeniji’s victory, held that the PDP polled the highest number of valid votes in the election.
The tribunal nullified Adeniji’s election and ordered LASIEC to revoke the Certificate of Return issued to him.
Obanikoro, son of former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro, was said to have scored 6,780 valid votes while Adeniji scored 6,248 votes.
According to the tribunal, the petitioners, Obanikoro and the PDP were able to prove that the election results were not collated at the polling units.
Akinsanya said: “Section 11(2) of the Local Government Elections Petitions Tribunal Law 2011 empowers this tribunal to nullify any election that does not comply with the laid down regulations.
—Jamiu Yisa