Court clears Ambode for Lagos Governorship Elections

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed a suit seeking to stop the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, from contesting the April 11 poll.‬

The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa declared that the plaintiffs had no locus standi to institute the legal action. The judge also held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any reasonable cause of action to sustain their prayers.‬

The plaintiffs, Olorunfemi Oluwatosin and Dada Joseph, who are members of the APC, had approached the court seeking an order to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from allowing APC to field any candidate for the coming Saturday’ governorship election in Lagos state.

They alleged that the parties primary was fraught with irregularities and that the party’s ward congresses, which were supposed to be conducted only in the 20 recognised local government areas of Lagos State, were also extended to the 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state.‬

‪They also alleged that secret ballot rather than open ballot system was used during the congresses, arguing that same had rendered the process illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.‬

‪Joined as defendants in the suit were APC, the INEC and Ambode.‬

‪Yunusa, while dismissing the suit, upheld APC’s submission that the subject matter of the case was an intra-party affair and that the plaintiffs failed to show that they had sufficient interest to warrant the reliefs sought. He, however, did not award any cost against the plaintiffs.