The Labour Party, LP, is set to challenge the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the March 18 Lagos gubernatorial election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on March 20, declared Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner and Governor-elect.
The incumbent polled 762,134 votes, defeating Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the LP who scored 312,329. Olajide Adediran of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, got 62,449 votes.
The results announced by the Returning Officer, Prof Adenike Temifayo-Oladiji, VC, Federal University of Technology Akure, show 1,182,620 accredited voters, 1,173,631 votes cast, and 17,953 rejected.
In his remarks, Rhodes-Vivour, alias GRV, Governorship candidate of the LP, alleged “collusion” between the APC and electoral officials in efforts to return Governor Sanwo-Olu.
“The results being released by INEC do not represent the wishes of the majority of peaceful Lagosians as results from our agents and situation room indicated that we won,” he said.
The candidate and his party are now proceeding to the court, seeking to upturn INEC’s pronouncement.
One of Rhodes-Vivour’s close aides confirmed that plans are being finalized to file a petition at the Governorship Election Tribunal.
“We are heading to the tribunal, we are currently filing the brief,” the source told EReporterNews Sunday night.
The LP and GRV are expected to prove how supporters were stopped from voting for GRV and whether the loss of those votes caused their defeat.
However, after polling less than 10 percent of Sanwo-Olu’s tally, neither the PDP nor its candidate a.k.a. “Jandor” has said much on the next move.
PDP Chairman in Lagos, Philip Aivoji maintained sealed lips when asked to speak on the possibility of a legal action.
“Please ask the candidate, I don’t want to comment on it”, replied the ex-Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism.
PDP Publicity Secretary/Jandor Campaign spokesperson Hakeem Amode did not take calls or reply to a text message on Sunday.
The tribunal in Lagos was constituted before the start of the general elections by Court of Appeal President, Justice M. B. Dongban-Mensem.
The Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem O. Alogba has approved the use of Rosaline Omotoso Courthouse in Ikeja as the venue.
