BREAKING: As Nigerians Await Judgement Day For Presidential Election Petitions, Tribunal Dismisses PDP’s Petition With Strong Reason (DETAILS)

BREAKING: As Nigerians Await Judgement Day For Presidential Election Petitions, Tribunal Dismisses PDP’s Petition With Strong Reason (DETAILS)

The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, located at Tafawa Balewa Square on Lagos Island, has rejected the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for the Lagos Central senatorial district, Adewale Gomez, contesting the victory of Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni.

The three-member panel, led by Justice Faruku Bunza, dismissed the petition on the grounds of abandonment, after considering the arguments presented by Wahab Shittu (SAN), the representative of Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The other members of the tribunal are Justice Livingstone Eruba and Kadi Mohammed Inuwa.

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On July 6, Senator Eshinlokun-Sanni, who was duly declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), filed an application under Section 18 (1), (3), and (4) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2022. He asked the tribunal to dismiss Gomez’s petition for abandonment, as the petitioner failed to comply with paragraph 18(1) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2022.

According to the facts presented in support of the application, a Litigation Assistant in the law firm of Wahab Shittu SAN & Co., named Lekan Taiwo, deposed to an affidavit stating that the petitioners served a copy of their petition on Eshinlokun-Sanni on June 2, 2023. However, INEC did not file a response to the petition within the required 21-day period, which elapsed on June 22, 2023. Additionally, the petitioners failed to apply for the issuance of pre-hearing notice within seven days of the close of pleadings, which occurred on June 22, 2023.

Due to the petitioners’ negligence and failure to follow proper procedures, Shittu argued that the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to hear the petition. He requested the tribunal to dismiss the petition in the interest of justice.

In response, the petitioner admitted that INEC failed to file any reply and attached their application for the issuance of pre-hearing information and the response of Senator Eshinlokun-Sanni to the same. However, they asked the tribunal to reject Senator Eshinlokun-Sanni’s application, claiming it was frivolous.

Ultimately, the tribunal ruled in favor of Senator Eshinlokun-Sanni’s application, dismissing the petition filed by Adewale Gomez, the PDP senatorial candidate, who sought to invalidate Senator Eshilokun-Sanni’s election based on alleged irregularities.