The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 elections, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has congratulated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over his victory at the Supreme Court on Friday.
Adediran spoke in a statement he addressed to Lagosians after the apex court dismissed his appeal on Friday.
He said it was time to cease fire.
According to him, though he is disappointed by the Supreme Court ruling upholding Sanwo-Olu’s re-election, it is time for him to move forward.
“I also use this opportunity to congratulate Sanwo Olu. I wish him a peaceful, development and people-focused tenure,” Adediran said.
The PDP candidate appreciated the people and the party for the privilege to offer himself to serve as the governor of the state in the 2023 governorship election.
He added: “We have expressed our reservation on the conduct and the outcome of the election.
“This, we did, by taking advantage of the provisions of the constitution and the electoral law to file petition at the election tribunal through to the Appeal court and finally, the Supreme Court.
“This is not the outcome we envisaged or worked so hard for.
“But I am very proud of the values we share and the vision we hold for our dear state. And for the very robust, vast, diverse, people-centered and rural-network campaign that we built and executed together.
“I know how disappointed you are with the outcomes of the election because I feel it too.
“The frustration, intimidation, and betrayals but our disappointment must be overcome by our love for our dear state.”
According to the PDP candidate, since the election is over, and all avenues to seek redress for observed electoral wrongdoing have been exhausted, we need to cease fire.
Adediran added: “We need to let the declared winner govern on the basis of his vision for the development of our state.
“Let the electorate be the judge of their performance.
“This will not in any way, deter me from continuing to contribute my quota to the development of our dear state and toward achieving the desired economic emancipation and a breath of fresh air in governance for our people.
“I appreciate you all for your faith and trust in me. I thank our party faithful and all lovers of Lagos PDP for their dedication and hard work during and after the elections.
“I urge you not to relent in your support for our quest for a greater Lagos.”
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Labour Party’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and Adediran had approached the apex court to challenge Sanwo-Olu’s victory in the election.
The LP candidate urged the Supreme Court to hold that the March 18 election was marred by irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
He also added that the Lagos State Deputy Governor was not qualified to contest the election.
Similarly, Adediran filed 34 grounds of appeal, asking the apex court to overturn the verdict of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
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Meanwhile, the apex court in a unanimous decision on Friday, upheld Sanwo-Olu as the duly elected governor of Lagos State.
The Court dismissed the appeals of LP’s Rhodes-Vivour and PDP’s Adediran for lacking in merit and a gross abuse of court process.
The Supreme Court dismissed the two separate appeals that challenged Sanwo-Olu’s return as winner of the governorship election held in the state on March 18, 2023.
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