The Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has granted the Labour Party’s candidate for governor, Mr. Gbadegbo Rhodes-Vivour, an exparte request for substituted service on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu avoided being served with the petition by the court’s bailiff, according to Rhodes-Vivour and the Labour Party through their attorney, Mr. Olagbade Benson.
The candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran known as Jandor, and the Labour Party, Rhodes-Vigour, each independently requested on April 11 that the tribunal void Sanwo-Olu’s reelection and declare them the winners, NAN reports.
When the court representative arrived at Sanwo-Olu’s office to serve him, they said that he refused to accept the document from the bailiff.
In the petition with file number EPT/LAG/GOV/04/2023, the petitioners ask the court to give them permission to serve the governor and his deputy with the petition and other legal documents by alternative means, such as by mailing them to the respondent’s official residence at Lagos House in Marina, Lagos, via DHL courier services or any other reputable courier service provider.
The petitioners had contested the results of the Lagos State governor’s race on March 18, in which Sanwo-Olu had been proclaimed the victor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
NAN also reports that the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal has received 48 petitions regarding the 2023 elections held on Feb. 25 and March 11.
The petitions are pasted on the wall of the Rosaline Omotosho Courthouse, Ikeja, the venue of the tribunal sitting.