In a resounding victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Lagos State governorship election petition tribunal has affirmed the legitimacy of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s victory in the March 2023 general elections.

This development has been met with jubilation and congratulatory messages, with The Mandate Movement (TMM) Chairman, Abdullahi Ayinde Enilolobo, leading the chorus of congratulations.

Readership NG reports that the tribunal, presided over by Justice Mikhail Abdullah, dismissed the petitions filed by the governorship candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran. Both GRV and Adediran had sought to contest the outcome of the election.

Justice Abdullah emphasized the importance of candidates meeting the constitutional requirements for holding the office of Governor, stating, “Section 177 of the constitution stipulated that ‘A person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if (a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of thirty-five years; (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and (d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.'”

The tribunal, after a thorough examination of the evidence presented, declared Governor Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Hamzat, duly elected, reaffirming their victory in the election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had initially declared Sanwo-Olu the winner with 762,134 votes, leaving Mr. Rhodes-Vivour in second place with 312,329 votes and Jide Adediran a distant third with 62,449 votes.

In response to this significant legal triumph, Abdullahi Ayinde Enilolobo, Chairman of The Mandate Movement (TMM), expressed his heartfelt congratulations to Governor Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, and the entire APC family. Enilolobo commended the resilience of the party’s candidates and their commitment to upholding the principles of democracy.

In a statement issued today through a chieftain of the party, Prince Adewale Arogundade signed on behalf of the chairman, he stated, “This tribunal verdict is a testament to the collective will of the people of Lagos State, who overwhelmingly voted for Governor Sanwo-Olu and the APC. We extend our warmest congratulations to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Hamzat, and the entire APC family on this well-deserved victory. It reaffirms the faith of Lagosians in your leadership and the progressive ideals of our great party.”

He further urged all stakeholders to unite and support the government in delivering on its promises and advancing the development agenda of Lagos State.

With the governorship election petition tribunal putting to rest any doubts about the legitimacy of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s victory, the APC and its supporters can now focus on the critical task of governance and building a brighter future for Lagos State.