By Adenike Ayodele

Ikeja March 23, 2023

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District, Mr. Sunday Adewale (alias Aeroland), have filed a petition against a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Oluranti-Adebule, over alleged non-qualification to contest thè senatorial election

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the petitions were pasted on the wall of the Rosaline Omotosho Courthouse, Ikeja, venue of the Tribunal’s sitting.

Adewale, in the petition marked EPT/LAG/SEN/04/2023 and dated March 18, filed against Oluranti-Adebule, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC as first to third respondents, alleged that she was not qualified to contest the election.

He said that the former deputy governor was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest and was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes.

He stated that Oluranti-Adebule did not possess the educational qualification to contest the election in the Lagos West Senatorial District held on Feb. 25.

The petitioners also alleged that third  respondent (INEC) did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, in the  conduct of the election.

The petitioners alleged that, in an attempt to meet the educational qualification requirement to contest the Lagos West Senatorial District conducted, the first  respondent submitted to the third  respondent  Form EC 9,  affidavit in support of personal particulars.

Adewale and his party said that in  Column C of the form, which required Oluranti-Adebule to state the schools she attended, with dates, she only indicated that she graduated in 1982, without stating the primary school she attended.

Also, Mr Moshood Salvador and his  Labour Party, are challenging the declaration of Oluranti-Adebule as the winner of the election.

The petitioners alleged multiple thumbprinting and ballot stuffing during and after the election.

In the petition marked EPT/LAG/ SEN/01/2023, Salvador alleged that the election was marred by violence, intimidation, fracas, threat, ballot box snatching, over voting, and mutilation of results from polling units.

Salvador added that the second and third respondents engaged in multiple thumbprinting and ballot box stuffing during and after the election.

He said that the entirety of the Lagos Central Senatorial District election was invalid by reason of substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Electoral Guidelines and the 1999 Constitution.

He said that the first respondent failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Electoral Guidelines during the conduct of the election, saying there was no due accreditation of voters.

He also said that the result of the election was not electronically transmitted through the BVAS machine as provided for by law.