LP guber petitions: Sanwo-Olu closes defence, APC opens case Tuesday

On Monday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat opened and closed defence in an election petition brought against them by the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

A defence witness and the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Lagos, Fuad Ade-Oki, testified before the tribunal.

He tendered before the tribunal some documents, including INEC’s Form EC9 containing Hamzat’s full personal information and the oath he signed on his nomination form.

Labour Party and Mr Rhodes-Vivour, are challenging the victory of Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat in the March 18 governorship poll. They are also challenging the eligibility of Mr Hamzat to contest the election on the ground that he allegedly renounced his Nigerian citizenship and swore allegiance to the U.S.

APC is joined in the petition as a respondent.

While being led in evidence by counsel to Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, Muiz Banire, Mr Ade-Oki tendered documents, including certified true copies of INEC forms.

The forms included ‘Summary of Result from Registration Areas’, ‘Summary of Results from Local Government Areas’, and ‘Declaration of Result’.

During cross-examination by APC’s lead counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko, Mr Ade-Oki told the tribunal that he witnessed when Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat filled the INEC Form EC9 containing their personal information as well as oaths they took on their nomination forms. He said they took the oaths at the Ikeja High Court Registry.

He also testified that Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat paid the prescribed fee for the nomination forms and signed their oaths.

“The two documents with no 003960120 and 00408841 contained the same facts and reflected the same receipt number,” he said.

The witness, after that, tendered in evidence through APC’s counsel the oath declaration page of Form EC9 and the receipts.

However, Labour Party counsel Idowu Benson objected to their admissibility. Mr Benson said he would reserve his reasons until his final address to the tribunal.

The tribunal led by Justice Arum Ashom admitted the documents provisionally pending when it would hear objections.

After Mr Ade-Oki’s testimony, the tribunal discharged him. Mr Banire then announced that Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat would close their case.

The tribunal adjourned the case until July 11 for APC to open its defence.

NAN

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