* Source : 123RF.com
Gbenga Ogunbufunmi
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, will on March 1, 2021, deliver judgment in respect of the bye-election for the Lagos East Senatorial District held on December 5, 2020.
The trial judge fixed the date after the conclusion of arguments by counsel to all the parties today.
The People’s Democratic Party and its candidate in the election, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru of the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the All Progressive Congress to court, seeking to disqualify him from contesting the election on the ground of double voter’s registration and violation of section 31 of the Electoral Act, amongst others.
In the suit filed on behalf of Gbadamosi by human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, the PDP is seeking an order of the court directing INEC to delete the name of Abiru and the APC from the list of the candidates and political parties to participate in the bye election.
The plaintiff is also asking court for an order nullifying, cancelling and voiding the nomination, submission and acceptance of the name of Abiru as the candidate of the APC for the bye-election and an order disqualifying Abiru as a candidate in the bye election.
In their responses to the case, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abiru and APC, contended that the case of the plaintiffs lacks merit as the candidate was duly nominated and qualified for the said bye-election.
In particular, Abiru and APC, through their counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN and Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, raised preliminary objections to the suit, contending that same was statute barred and not justiciable in law.
When the case came up for hearing before the Honourable Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, today, all the lawyers addressed the court, adopted their respective processes and concluded arguments on the case, consequent upon which the Judge adjourned the case to March 1, 2021 for judgment.
