Petition: Tribunal orders substituted service on Sanwo-Olu

By Adenike Ayodele

Ikeja April 17, 2023

The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has granted an exparte application by Labour Party (LP)’s Gubernatorial Candidate, Mr. Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour, for substituted service on the state Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

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

He 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, he is praying the court to grant him 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.

NAN reports that, on April 11, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran, and 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 (INEC) declared Sanwo-Olu the winner.

NAN also reports that the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal has received a total of 48 petitions in respect of the 2023 elections held on Feb. 25 and March 18.

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