BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & MICHAEL OLADEPO

A year after the conduct of the local governments poll in Lagos State, the state Local Government Election Petition Tribunal yesterday declared Mr. Babajide Obanikoro of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP winner of the Ikoyi/Obalende chairmanship election.

The state Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, has declared Mr. Adewale Adeniji of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, as the winner of the poll after the election on Oct.22,2011.

Not satisfied with the result, Obanikoro and his party challenged the conduct of the poll and its result asking the tribunal to declare the PDP winner.

Handing down its judgement yesterday, the five-man tribunal led by retired Justice Dolapo Akinsanya, held that Obanikoro scored the highest number of valid votes in the election.

It therefore ordered LASIEC to revoke the Certificate of Return issued to the ACN candidate and return same to the PDP.

It held that the petitioners had proven to the tribunal that election results were not collated at the unit and ward levels as shown in the LASIEC Forms 9A  which were admitted as exhibits.

S-West PDP hails judgment

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has hailed the Lagos State Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal judgment, declaring Mr. Babajide Obanikoro of the PDP winner of the Chairmanship Election In Ikoyi-Obalende Local Govt Developpment Authority (LCDA) held on October 22, 2011.

The party, which saluted the courage of the tribunal judges, who gave the judgment said “it is not a surprise because the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Dolapo Akinsanya has a strong reputation that is known to everybody.”

Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kayode Babade who congratulated Obanikoro, PDP members in Lagos State and the entire people of Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA said; “The judgment has once again shown that Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is the real party of election riggers.”