Jandor Reacts to Tribunal Verdict Upholding Sanwo-Olu’s Re-election

In a recent development, Olajide Adediran, the gubernatorial candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State during the 2023 general elections, widely recognized as Jandor, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the ruling by the state Election Petitions Tribunal. The tribunal upheld the re-election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Jandor had strongly contested the return of Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Obafemi Hamzat, following the March 18, 2023 governorship elections in Lagos State. In his motion and formal petition, he challenged their qualifications to contest the election.

However, Justice Mikhail Abdullahi, presiding over the case, declared that Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Hamzat, met the eligibility criteria to participate in the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state, as stipulated in section 177 of the constitution. The judge further emphasized that both candidates were members of political parties and possessed educational qualifications up to the school certificate level.

In response to the tribunal’s decision, Jandor expressed his disappointment, stating that the panel had overlooked the credibility and substantial evidence presented by his legal team, which aimed to challenge the qualifications of the APC and Labour Party candidates. He asserted that the tribunal’s ruling ran counter to the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act of 2022, particularly concerning the qualification of candidates in elections.

A statement released on Monday by Gbenga Ogunleye, the Head of Media and Communications for the Jandor4governor Campaign Organisation, conveyed Jandor’s reaction. The statement assured the people of Lagos that the Lagos PDP would carefully analyze the judgment and make decisions in the best interest of Lagosians. It emphasized that this ruling marks another stage in the electoral process and not the end, indicating that further actions may be taken in due course.