Transfer Lagos Gov’ship Election Petition Appeal to Abuja, Jandor tells President
The Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate in the 2023 General Elections, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) has urged President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, to transfer Lagos State Governorship Election Appeal Petitions to Abuja.
Adediran made this appeal on Monday through an official correspondence to Dongban-Mensem, according to a release by Mr Gbenga Ogunleye, Head, Media and Communications, JANDOR4GOVERNOR Campaign Organisation.
Adediran requested the transfer of his appeal of the decision of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which was in favour of the ruling APC and Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Dr Adediran as the first petitioner in the Appeal case numbered CA/L/EP/GOV/29/2023 requested the transfer from Lagos Division, the original jurisdiction to the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to ensure fairness and objectivity devoid of potential meddling.
“Hon. Justice Dongban-Mensem had recently directed that all appeals arising from election petition cases across the country be transferred to the Abuja and Lagos divisions.
“The directive was issued following allegations and petitions against state tribunal judges. Some political parties and their candidates had alleged that the judges at the state tribunals had been compromised by governors,” he said.
Adediran expressed concerns that the influence of the ruling APC government in the state might affect the proceedings and the decision of the panel if the appeals are to be determined in Lagos states.
He said that since Dongban-Mensem had taken a huge step to ensure justice by transferring all appeal cases from the 17 states in the Southern part of the country to the Lagos Division of the Appeal court, the case in Lagos State should likewise be transferred to the Abuja Division.
Adediran said that such transfer would safeguard neutrality, equity and discourage interference.
