The Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, on Thursday, affirmed the election of Hon. George Olawande Adegeye, representing Amuwo-Odofin federal constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives.
The appellate court threw out the petitions filed by his opponents in the February 25 National Assembly elections, challenging his victory.
The candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) had challenged the verdict of the Election Petitions Tribunal, which earlier upheld the election of Olawande.
The thrust of their appeals was premised on the nomination of Adegeye by the Labour Party as well as his membership of the party prior to the February 25 election.
However, the Court of Appeal panel composed of Justices M.L. Shuaib, J.E Ekanem and P.A Bassi, in their unanimous decision held that the appellants lacked the right and indeed the requisite power to determine membership of a political party or chose who the party presents as its candidate for an election.
Counsel to the lawmaker, Muyiwa Ogunkolade, Esq had earlier raised an objection challenging the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain and determine the petition filed before it by one of the petitioners, Olanrewaju Sanusi and his party, the APC.
The grounds of his objection were that, the issue of nomination and sponsorship of Hon. Adegeye by the Labour Party was an internal affair of the party and outsiders referred to as meddlesome interlopers like the Appellants do not have the locus standi to challenge it.
The contention of Ogunkolade was that the issue raised in the various petitions related to pre-election matters, which the Election Tribunal lacks the jurisdiction to entertain.
While dismissing the appeals, the Justices agreed with the counsel to Hon. Adegeye and Labour Party that the lower Tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to have entertained the matter and, therefore, struck out the case.
Reacting to the judgement, Ogunkolade Esq stated that the well-delivered judgment had laid to rest the dead issue of pre-election matters peddled by the appellants.
He commended the courage shown by the Justices to stand for the truth in the face of alleged intimidation and attempt to induce the court.
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