Tribunal fixes Sept 18 for verdict in Lagos West suit

The Lagos State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has fixed September 18 for judgment in the case brought before it by the Lagos West Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Adewale.

He is challenging the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi).

The three-man tribunal headed by Justice Sylvanus Oriji fixed the judgment date after listening to the submissions of both parties in their final written address.

Adewale, known as Aeroland, is challenging the declaration of Adeola by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the winner of the April 28 election.

He had in his petition prayed the tribunal to nullify the declaration of Adeola as winner of the election.

Adewale insisted that he won.

Counsel to Adewale, Dr. Yemi Oke, said his client is challenging Adeola’s victory on three grounds.

He argued that the nomination of Adeola is invalid, that election did not hold in some wards, and that there were irregularities, which include falsification of results in some wards.

But counsel to Adeola, APC and INEC, Mr. A. Adegoke and Dr. Muiz Banire, urged the court to dismiss Adewale’s petition on the ground that he failed to prove the allegations against the respondents beyond reasonable doubt.

They submitted that most of the allegations by the petitioner were criminal in nature and they would need to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

The nation