Supreme Court Verdict: Our Spirits Not Dampened, Says Lagos PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State says it is not discouraged by the Supreme Court’s judgement affirming Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the state’s March 18 governorship election, saying, “we will not allow this momentary setback to dampen our spirits.”

The Lagos state PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Hakeem Amode, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos, said there would always be another opportunity for the party and its members.

According to him, the party is officially concluding all matters related to the election and moving on.

He said: “We appeal to residents of the state and our numerous supporters to maintain optimism, as we firmly believe that there will always be another opportunity.

“As a party committed to democratic principles, the PDP has no option but to move forward after the highest court has issued a conclusive judgement on the matter.

“Our candidate in the election, Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, aka Jandor, has shared his perspective on the judgement and has even extended congratulations to Gov. Sanwo-Olu, whose victory has been affirmed by the court.”

The spokesman said that the party remained dedicated to fostering a thriving democracy, and “we will refrain from any actions that will undermine the hard-fought gains achieved during the military era.”

He said that the chapter believed that if allowed to serve the people, the party had more comprehensive programs for residents.

“We firmly hold that Lagos State residents should not endure hardship amidst abundance, and we are confident that another chance to serve will emerge in the near future.

“We will not allow this momentary setback to dampen our spirits.

“Lagos, as a metropolitan state and the commercial centre of Nigeria, holds a prominent position nationally and competes with some African countries in terms of Gross Domestic Production, population, and developmental indicators.

“Our candidate, Jandor, remains committed to public service and will continue to make himself available whenever the need arises.

“There will always be another opportunity, and we will not let this temporary setback hinder our pursuit of making Lagos state an egalitarian society with equal opportunities for everyone,” Amode said.

He expressed the party’s gratitude to everyone who supported PDP before, during, and after the election.

“We thank all PDP members in Lagos state, our supporters, market men and women, business people, traders, journalists, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and many others for their unwavering support.

“Your dedication during the campaigns, at the polls, and throughout the legal proceedings has not gone unnoticed.

“You have shown us that you are dependable, and we are not alone in our quest for the kind of society we deserve in the state,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and PDP’s Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) 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 tribunal and the court of appeal.

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 the winner of the governorship election held in the state on March 18.

(NAN)