Application For Consolidation: Sanwo-Olu floors LP candidate, Rhodes-Vivour at Tribunal

The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Ikeja, presided over by Justice Arum Igyen Ashom, today, threw out the application filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, seeking an order for leave to consolidate his petition with that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its candidate, Olajide Adediran.

The presiding judge also dismissed Rhodes-Vivour's request to file an additional list of witnesses and their written statements on oath.

The court arrived at the decision on the reason that the parties, as well as the facts, the subject of their petitions and reliefs sought are different.

Justice Ashom equally ruled that Adediran's counsel had earlier indicated in the Pre-hearing information sheet, Form TF 008 of the Electoral Act 2022, that he didn't want his action to be considered with that of others.

In the second application which was dismissed, the Tribunal held that the LP's candidate should have sought the leave of the court for an extension of time within which to amend his petition, as the 21 days stipulated by the Act within which to file an election petition had since passed.

The court further reviewed its initial order on the number of witnesses to be called by parties in Rhodes-Vivour's petition, by allowing the APC, its candidates, and the LP to present 30 witnesses each since it is only INEC that had said it would limit the number of its witnesses to 10.

Rhodes-Vivour's petition was brought against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hazmat, who were both declared winners of the March 18 election, and their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, in Adediran's petition, he and his party are the petitioners, while the respondents are INEC, Sanwo-Olu and Hazmat, the APC, as well as Rhodes-Vivour and his party. 

Other members of the tribunal are Justice Mikail Abdullahi and Justice Igho Braimoh.

Justice Ashom has adjourned until June 13.

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