Emmanuel OchayiIn a resounding response to the recent Lagos Election Petition Tribunal verdict, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed elation and a commitment to unity in his statement today at the seat of Lagos State Government power, Alausa.
The tribunal’s verdict, which came after approximately 10 hours of deliberation, upheld the Governor’s victory in the March 18, 2023 election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who secured his re-election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, faced formidable opposition from Dr. Olajide Adediran of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), both of whom filed petitions contesting the election results.
In a unanimous decision delivered by the lead Judge, Justice Arum Ashom, the tribunal ruled in favor of Governor Sanwo-Olu, a decision he described as “well thought-out and detailed.” Sanwo-Olu commended the judiciary for upholding the principles of fairness and justice in its verdict.
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Governor Sanwo-Olu made it clear that this victory was not just his but belonged to all residents of Lagos State who supported his administration throughout the electoral process. He emphasized that although his re-election had been a challenging journey, the tribunal’s judgment validated the will and choice of the people of Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu stated, “I am glad to announce the information I have just received that Lagos Election Petition Tribunal judgments have been given in our favor. I commend the judiciary and the judges that delivered the well-thought-out and detailed judgments. They took their time to explain to everyone the reasons that led them to the views and conclusions they gave today. We thank the judges for their firm commitment to the principle of fairness and justice.”
Highlighting his commitment to serving the people of Lagos, Sanwo-Olu extended an olive branch to his opponents, urging them to accept the tribunal’s verdict with sportsmanship and goodwill.
He invited candidates from the PDP and LP to collaborate with his government and contribute to the state’s development.
“I still want to give an opportunity to opposition parties’ candidates that contested against us to join hands with us if they share the same passion and commitment that we have to serve. We are ready to sit with them and have a conversation around what ways they can channel their ideas in the development of the state,” said Governor Sanwo-Olu.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also noted that the State Government would not be celebrating the tribunal’s judgment with any formal event, as he preferred to focus on the responsibilities of governance. However, he encouraged the APC party to organize events for Lagosians to mark this significant victory at the court.
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