The Senate Electoral Tribunal seating in Lagos has dismissed the petition brought before it by the Labour Party on the Lagos Central Senatorial District election, won by Senator Wasiu Eshilokun Sanni.
The party and its candidate at the election had taken INEC, Senator Eshinlokun and the APC before the tribunal with the prayers that INEC cancels the February 25th, 2023 election and conduct a fresh election to accommodate its candidate whose logo was absent on the ballot paper.
In a unanimous decision of the three judges of the tribunal, read by the lead judge on 30th August, 2023, the tribunal, consented with the position of the lead counsel to Senator Eshinlokun, Barrister Wahab Shittu SAN, as argued in the case; as well as that of the counsels to INEC and the APC, that the petition be dismissed for lacking in merit.
The verdict therefore confirms the validity of the election that returned Senator Eshinlokun as the Senator representing the Lagos Central at the National Assembly. According to Barrister Shittu, the victory is a “technical and substantial knockout”.