UPDATED: Supreme Court Declares Sanwo-Olu Winner of 2023 Lagos Gov'ship Election, Details Emerge
- The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor of Lagos state
- The five-member panel in a unanimous judgement delivered by Justices Lawal Garba and Adamu Jauro, affirmed the declaration of the APC candidate as the winner of the 2023 Lagos governorship election
- The court dismissed two separate appeals challenging Governor Sanwo-Olu's victory in the March 18, 2023 poll
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria
Ikeja, Lagos state - The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday, January 12, affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as elected governor of Lagos state.
As reported by The Nation, Justice Garba Lawal who read the lead judgment dismissed the appeal filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP).
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According to Justice Lawal, Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, were duly qualified to contest the 2023 Lagos state governorship election.
Supreme Court dismisses Rhodes-Vivour’s case
In its judgement, the apex court held that Rhodes-Vivour’s appeal was unmeritorious.
According to the court, the acquisition of citizenship of the United States (US) by Sanwo-Olu's lieutenant, Hamzat, did not rob him of his Nigerian citizenship, being a citizen by birth.
The court affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which earlier upheld the election of Sanwo-Olu.
Supreme Court dismisses PDP’s Adediran’a case
Also, the court dismissed the appeal by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Azeez Adediran (Jandor), in which he had sought to sack Governor Sanwo-Olu.
The court said Adediran's case lacks merit.
Sanwo-Olu's opponent sends congratulatory message
Reacting to the Supreme Court's verdict, Tope Balogun, the candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the 2023 election, said the judgement is "a win for all as everyone".
Balogun told Legit.ng:
"Congratulations to all participants at the last election as the whole process is now fully completed for the Lagos state governorship election.
"The incumbent governor in the face of the law does not have any encumbrance stemming from the last election to distract him on his job till he finishes his tenure. We wish him well like we have done immediately after the election.
"Those that challenged his victory can also focus on other things they wish to engage in to help the state progressively develop its full potential.
"For me, it is a win for all as everyone was allowed to exercise their democratic franchise from the beginning of the circle to its end."
Sanwo-Olu confronts soldier
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Sanwo-Olu is focused on building Lagos.
In a recent event that gained attention, the governor ordered the arrest of a lance-corporal of the Nigerian Army who rode his motorcycle (okada) plying one-way along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
Governor Sanwo-Olu was seen coming down from his vehicle alongside his security aides, to confront the offending officer in a viral video.
Unknown soldier attacks Sanwo-Olu
Legit.ng also reported that Sanwo-Olu faced criticism from a soldier who expressed his displeasure with the governor's decision to order the arrest of his colleague.
The unidentified soldier condemned Sanwo-Olu for allegedly degrading a fellow soldier in the presence of civilians.
Soldier arrested for criticising Sanwo-Olu
Meanwhile, Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of the Army Staff, has confirmed the arrest of a soldier who criticised Sanwo-Olu.
Lagbaja emphasised that the conduct of the soldier caught driving against traffic does not represent the entire Nigerian Army.
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Source: Legit.ng
