The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has granted an exparte application by Labour Party and its Governorship Candidate, Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour, for a substituted service on the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Rhodes-Vivour and Labour Party, through their counsel, Olagbade Benson, had informed the tribunal that Sanwo-Olu evaded service of the petition on him by the court’s bailiff, refusing to collect the document from the bailiff when the court official got to his office to serve him.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that in the petition number EPT/LAG/GOV/04/2023, they prayed the court to grant them leave to serve the petition and other processes on the governor and his deputy through substituted means, by posting same via DHL courier services or any other recognised courier service company, to the respondent’s official residence at Lagos House, Marina, Lagos.
The Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as, Jandor, and Rhodes-Vigour, had on April 11, separately asked the tribunal to nullify Sanwo-Olu’s re-election and declare them the winners of the March 18 election.
The publication also reported that the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal had received a total of 48 petitions in respect of the 2023 elections held on February 25 and March 11.
The petitions are reportedly pasted on the wall of the Rosaline Omotosho Courthouse, Ikeja, venue of the tribunal sitting.
