Election Petition: Tribunal Orders Substituted Service On Sanwo-Olu

An ex parte application by the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Mr Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour, for substituted service on the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been granted by the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, The PUNCH reports.

Rhodes-Vivour and the Labour Party, through their counsel, Mr Olagbade Benson, had informed the tribunal that Sanwo-Olu evaded service of the petition on him by the court’s bailiff.

They alleged that Sanwo-Olu refused to collect the document from the bailiff when the court official got to his office to serve him.

In the petition number EPT/LAG/GOV/04/2023, they are praying the court to grant them leave to serve the petition and other processes on the governor and his deputy through substituted means, by posting same via DHL courier services or any other recognised courier service company, to the respondent’s official residence at Lagos House, Marina, Lagos.

On April 11, the Peoples Democratic Party Candidate, Mr Abdul-Azeez Adediran known as Jandor, and the Labour Party Candidate, Rhodes-Vivour, separately asked the tribunal to nullify Sanwo-Olu’s re-election and declare them the winners.

The petitioners had challenged the outcome of the March 18 governorship election in Lagos State which the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Sanwo-Olu the winner.

The Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal has received a total of 48 petitions in respect of the 2023 elections held on February 25 and March 11.

The petitions are pasted on the wall of the Rosaline Omotosho Courthouse, Ikeja, the venue of the tribunal sitting.