Supreme Court upholds Ambode’s election

governor says people’s mandate reaffirmed

The Supreme Court has affirmed Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Lagos State, thus ending the legal battle between the governor and his political rival, Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which started from the state election petition tribunal.

The Supreme Court’s position is a confirmation of two previous rulings by the election tribunal and the appeal court, which earlier struck out the case filed by Jimi Agbaje challenging Ambode’s victory in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

With the Supreme Court’s ruling putting to bed all issues surrounding the April 11 election, Ambode has urged the opposition to move beyond partisanship and join hands with his administration to move Lagos to the next level.

The governor in statement, signed by Habib Aruna, his chief press secretary, said the people’s mandate demonstrated on election day had been reaffirmed by the highest court in the land.

“Our government is thus poised without further delay to provide the needed leadership to justify the confidence reposed in us, especially with the ruling coming in the wake of the swearing-in of members of the state executive council,” he said.

The governor also commended the judiciary for its consistency, saying, “the ruling has further proven the judiciary to be the critical institution that could further deepen our democratic values”.

“We have in the last four months embarked on reforms in the judicial and security sectors based on our conviction that these are the fundamental organs on which any government can carry out its duties optimally; we believe this is the way to go, we won’t relent until we achieve our goals to make life more comfortable for our people irrespective of creed or colour,” said Ambode.