Ahead of the March 18 gubernatorial election in Lagos State, the legal team of the Labour Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has said that he remains the party’s candidate in Lagos State because three court cases instituted against his candidacy recently has been struck out.
In recent days some LP chieftains in Lagos had claimed that the candidacy of Rhodes-Vivour was been challenged in court.
But Olagbade Benson, the lead counsel who led two other lawyers, Uchechukwu Ani, Kemi Afesojaye to the briefing on Monday in Ilupeju, noted that claims by the former LP gubernatorial placeholder and chairman in Lagos, Ifamaridi Awamaridi that he had a substantive cases against Rhodes Vivour candidacy was false and attempts to mislead the public.
Olagbade said an affidavit filed August 5, 2022 instituted against the candidacy of Rhodes- Vivour at the Federal High Court by Awamaridi, that he had not withdrawn as the place holder gubernatorial candidate of LP in Lagos was struck out by the same court in a judgement by Justice D.E Osiagor after considering the preliminary filed by Rhodes Vivour.
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Olagbade said not satisfied with the judgement, Awamaridi had also appealed the judgement at the Court of Appeal, while the same court on February 5, in a ruling by Justice Oyekachi Aja Otisi equally terminated the appeal on the basic that it was filed outside of the time given for brief of argument on such matter.
The team subsequently added that another case instituted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against his Rhodes- Vivour candidacy was also struck out at the Federal High Court late last year.
The legal team said they were aware, Awamaridi filed an appeal to the Supreme Court, but stated that the appeal was not to challenge the candidacy of Rhodes- Vivour but to review or not if the Court of Appeal can extend time for Awamaridi to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court.
The legal team said they were constrained to speak to the press on the issue, to set record straight ahead of the gubernatorial election on Saturday.
According to Olagbade,“So it is about the law, by virtue of the judgement of the two courts, Rhodes- Vivour remains the candidate of the Labour Party for Saturday’s election and he is the one recognised by INEC and law.
“We are constrained to speak to the press because, it as a duty to speak the trust. Let all of us be careful of people making fake news.
“He remains the substantive candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos, all the matters decided and dusted. Go out and vote”.
