The Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District, Sunday Adewale, alias Aeroland, have filed a petition against a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti-Adebule, over alleged non-qualification to contest the election.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the petitions were pasted on the wall of the Rosaline Omotosho Courthouse, Ikeja, venue of the tribunal sitting.
Adewale, in the petition marked: “EPT/LAG/SEN/04/2023,” and dated March 18, filed against Oluranti-Adebule, All Progressives Congress and Independent National Electoral Commission as first to third respondents, alleged that she was not qualified to contest the election.
He said that the former deputy governor was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest and was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes.
He stated that Oluranti-Adebule did not possess the educational qualification to contest the election in the Lagos West Senatorial District held on February 25.
The petitioners also alleged that third respondent (INEC) did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 in the conduct of the election.
The petitioners alleged that in an attempt to meet the educational qualification requirement to contest the Lagos West Senatorial District election, the first respondent submitted to the third respondent Form EC 9, affidavit in support of personal particulars.
Adewale and his party said that in Column C of the form, which required Oluranti-Adebule to state the schools she attended, with dates, she only indicated that she graduated in 1982, without stating the primary school she attended.
Also, Moshood Salvador and his Labour Party are challenging the declaration of Oluranti-Adebule as the winner of the election.
The petitioners alleged multiple thumb printing and ballot stuffing during and after the election.
In the petition marked: “EPT/LAG/ SEN/01/2023,” Salvador alleged that the election was marred by violence, intimidation, fracas, threat, ballot box snatching, over voting and mutilation of results from polling units.
Salvador added that the second and third respondents engaged in multiple thumb printing and ballot stuffing during and after the election.
He said that the entirety of the Lagos Central Senatorial District election was invalid by reason of substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Electoral Guidelines and 1999 Constitution.
He said that the first respondent failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Electoral Guidelines during the conduct of the election, adding that there was no due accreditation of voters.
He also said that the result of the election was not electronically transmitted through the BVAS machine as provided for by law.
