Lagos Assembly Confirms Nominees For Government Agencies
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday confirmed the appointments of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s nominees for the state Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and other agencies.
The appointments followed the screening of the candidates by a 12-man ad-hoc committee of the House headed by the Chief Whip, Mojeed Fatai.
Just before the confirmation of the nominees, Hon. Fatai said the committee conducted a thorough screening of the credentials and experiences of each nominee adding that they are all capable of holding government offices.
Adding his voice, a member of the House, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, said the nominees are “round pegs in round holes.” He added that the nominees’ impressive credentials and professional expertise make them the ideal candidates for their respective roles.
Apart from LASIEC, the House approved nominations for the Office of the State Auditor-General; the General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), and the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF).
The confirmed appointees are as follows:
For LASIEC, the confirmed appointees include Hon. Justice Bola Okikiolu Ighile (Rtd.) – Chairman; Samson Ajibade – member; Oluwo Akin Durojaiye – member; Dr. Metilelu Olumide Olusola – member; Aileru Abeeb Dapo – member; Hon. Oladele Adekanye – member.
For the Office of the Auditor-General,
Mr. Adetola Muyiwa John was confirmed while Engr. Balogun Kamaldeen Abiodun Temidayo was confirmed as the General Manager Lagos State Electricity Board.
Also, Mrs. Feyisayo Alayande was confirmed as Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, who presided over the plenary, confirmed the nominees adding that the development underscores the Assembly’s commitment to enhancing governance and delivering quality leadership across Lagos State.
…as Assembly holds public hearing on proposed local govt law
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has said there are no plans to scrap the 37 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.
Dr. Obasa, represented by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, said this at a second public hearing on the bill to amend the Local Government Administration law of the state on Thursday.
“We are gathered here to consider and reflect on a bill that seeks to further enhance how our third tier of government should be administered.
“The LCDAs have come to stay and they would remain so by the special grace of God. Nobody is killing the LCDAs. Instead, we have come to say here is the Supreme Court judgement; how do we go about it? I know we all have the interest of this state at heart.
“Did we follow the right part in creating the LCDAs? The answer is ‘yes’. So at this point, it is a call for every Lagosian to rise up and protect the LCDAs by reaching out to all our representatives at the national level.
“Our representatives and senators should lobby their colleagues there. We will continue to do our part and we are doing it to ensure that the 37 LCDAs are listed in the constitution,” the Speaker said.
He recalled that just about two weeks ago, people were also gathered to deliberate on the electoral bill for the Local government election which he said is the first right step before the House could go into how the local governments should function.
“This Bill has passed the preliminary stages and the House is hereby subjecting it to public appraisal in our transparent convention. At this stage, we subject the bill to public assessment, gathering public observations and thoughts to reflect on them in the next stage of the bill.
“The bill is seeking to consolidate all laws on local government administration. The law, when passed, will allow the local governments function optimally with strict adherence to the rule of law and separation of powers,” he added.
The Speaker stressed that the bill also made mention of four-year tenure for the elective offices in the local government, which, according to him, has finally removed the ambiguity of the past as regards tenure of these elective officers.
The bill, he said, has elaborated all that needs to be done for an effective administration of the local governments including declaration of assets, nomination of a chairman, removal of a chairman or vice chairman, discharge of functions of the chairman, local government area supervisors appointees, executive powers of the local government, street naming and many more.
Section 4(3) of the Bill states: “The 20 local governments shall have designated local council Development Areas as listed in the First Schedule to this law for effective and efficient local government administration in the State.
Section 4(1) of the Bill further states: “There shall be 37 Local Council Development Areas in the State with the names specified in Schedule II of the Creation of local government (Amendments) of 2004.”
Speaking after an overview by Hon. Noheem Adams, Majority Leader of the House, Lagos-based lawyer, Muiz Banire (SAN) identified some clauses in the Bill that needed further inputs.
Banire argued: “The import of the Supreme Court judgement is simple. The State Governor does not have the power over council chairmen, if any council chairman misbehaves, it is the councillors that can decide on what to do.”
He also advised that section 38 of the Bill should be expunged, noting “It is no longer legal for the Ministry of Local Government to be issuing guidelines for local governments.”
However, Banire was countered by former Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo, who said: “The constitution gives power to the State House of Assembly to create local government, the law has been tested, our LCDAs have been in existence but only not listed.
“Nobody can say the law is not in existence, I was the Majority Leader as at then. You are saying the House should not have the power to do some things again; we need to be very careful. We know some governors are making nonsense of the local governments but Lagos is an exemption.”
Corroborating the position of Taiwo, another former Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Funmilayo Tejuoso said: “When you have a child that does not have a name, does it mean that the child is dead? It simply means that the LCDAs are still existing. The Supreme Court has recognised them, we are only waiting for the constitution to reflect the LCDAs.”
She therefore stated that the LCDAs should continue to exist, noting “We shouldn’t throw away the baby with the bath water.”
Also speaking, Imam Ibrahim Tijani from Itire-Ikate said he supported the continued existence of the LCDAs.
A stakeholder, Ajose Agbejoye, suggested that elections into local government councils should start six months before the expiration of the four-year term of a current administration so that electoral issues would have been settled before the swearing-in of a new chairman.
President of Greater Lagos Initiative, Adeniyi Olutimehin also appealed to the House to allow the LCDAs to continue to function irrespective of whatever amendments it makes to the Bill.
Domestic Violence: Lagos Assembly Urges Enlightenment Units In Schools
The Lagos State House of Assembly has emphasised the need for a proactive approach in addressing domestic and sexual violence in the state.
At a sitting presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the House stressed the importance of establishing guidance and counseling units in schools and religious institutions as a way to reach out to the public and prevent such violence.
The House also called on the Ministry of Information to continue its enlightenment campaigns.
In his position, Dr. Obasa pointed out the complexities involved in cases of domestic violence, particularly the impact on children.
“We thank the agencies in Lagos for their continuous efforts in raising awareness among residents.
“However, no law can entirely eliminate any crime. We must go beyond sensitisation and help people understand why relationships, which should be loving, sometimes turn sour,” Obasa said.
He questioned the effectiveness of interventions that involve removing children from their homes, asking, “If we take children away from their parents, who will care for them as their parents would? Even when NGOs intervene and ensure separation, what happens after the separation?”
The Speaker also expressed concerns about the lifestyle choices of some young people, particularly boys in their teens doing everything they can to own homes in affluent areas like Lekki, and young girls who spend days out of school in a bid to make money.
He advocated for educational programmes that would go beyond mere enlightenments to actively teach children about domestic violence.
Moving a motion under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Hon. Omolara Olumegbon, representing Lagos Island 1, highlighted the necessity of educating children about domestic violence.
She urged that the existing laws be given the needed spark while there should be improvement in sensation and enlightenment.
She further emphasised the urgency of sustaining awareness and educating the youth. She called on the relevant ministries to intensify their efforts.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) expressed concern over the high incidence of domestic violence in the society.
While distinguishing domestic violence from parental discipline, he stressed the importance of prevention and the enforcement of existing laws.
On his part, Hon. Abiodun Tobun underscored the importance of teaching values and norms in schools and religious institutions.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Rotimi Ajomale urged the concerned agencies to increase their efforts in encouraging victims to speak out.
Hon. Aro Moshood highlighted the alarming statistics of women being the primary victims of domestic violence. He called for stronger laws to address the issue while his colleague, Hon. Funke Osafile, advocated for the strengthening of laws and policies.
Lagos Assembly Plans Geographic Information Law
– bill will create comprehensive database of Lagos state
– will curb issues involved in land ownership
A new bill that seeks to harmonise all geographic information service projects of Lagos is under consideration at the State House of Assembly.
The Lagos Geographic Information Service bill, which had stakeholders making contributions on Friday, is also aimed at establishing a computerised central database for all information relating to geospatial matters and related issues.
Section 4(2) of the bill says the agency’s responsibilities include introducing, implementing and sustaining best practices for all Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the state as well as “develop and maintain an online platform that will contain all information and statistics on geospatial-related matters.”
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said the bill, when passed, would help in improving governance and boosting professionalism.
“It is targeted at integrating governance with advancements in technology. This is something we hope to always take advantage of so that our state can continue to be ahead in the area of development,” Dr. Obasa, represented by Hon. Stephen Ogundipe, a member of the House, said adding that the Assembly will always make the residents of the state its focal point.
Chairman of the House Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Ogunkelu Sylvester, said the bill “shows a commitment and sincere
sense of duty on the part of the legislators of the state to put people’s interest at heart.
“Today’s public hearing means a lot to the improvement of
information technology and computerised central database in Lagos State.”
Ogunkelu, who represents Epe Constituency 2 at the House, described it as a bill that will cover the database of Lagos just as he commended the Speaker for his passion for the progress of the State.
“The bill will guide the government to have a database of everything concerning Lagos and in this case, you could be in your house and apply for a certificate of ownership on your property and have it without even visiting the Ministry.
“It will also cut sharp practices and curb fraudulent sales of land. For land, the database will have details of owners including their photographs,” he said.
Rasheed Makinde, a former lawmaker, commended the House for its proactiveness while some of the stakeholders suggested the involvement of professional bodies in the proposed law.
Kidnappings: Employ More Neighborhood Watch Officers, Lagos Assembly Tells Sanwo-Olu
– sympathizes with affected states, families of victims
– commends Remi Tinubu for advocating capital punishment for kidnappers
With incidents of kidnapping spreading across some states of the federation, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to increase the personnel in the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) to effectively assist other security agencies.
The House also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his favourable disposition to the issue of state police just as it praised the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for raising a voice and advocating for capital punishments as a deterrent.
The issue which was discussed under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’ followed the recent kidnapping of about 280 children in Kaduna, the about 102 kidnapped in Borno and 15 kidnapped in Sokoto recently.
Noting that the case of the Chibok girls was yet to abate, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said it was very important for every Nigerian to rise up and speak against kidnapping just as he sympathised with affected states and families of victims.
Dr. Obasa said it was painful that while parents struggle to send their children to school to seek knowledge, “evil people in the name of kidnappers are hell-bent on destroying the future of the children
“It is very important for all of us to rise up and find a lasting solution. Security is very essential in every given society and if we fail to protect lives, then what do we have as responsibility?
“We must commend our First Lady for being bold and coming out and even talking about capital punishment.”
The Speaker commended the military for its effort, but said more can be done even if it means relocating to areas where these attacks are frequent.
He recalled the situation that necessitated the enactment of the anti-kidnapping law of Lagos State some years ago urging the National Assembly to review existing laws relating to kidnapping and expedite action on state police.
The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, said it is necessary at this time to call on governors and speakers of states to act regarding related legislation.
In their contributions, Hon. Tobun Abiodun and Nureni Akinsanya commended the Speaker for raising the issue while noting that Lagos is gradually experiencing cases of kidnappings.
Their colleague, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, suggested the establishment of special courts to try alleged kidnappers and speed up trial processes while Hon. Abiodun Orekoya urged the military to employ technology in their surveillance.
Meanwhile, Speaker Obasa has congratulated Muslims in Nigeria as the Ramadan commences.
Dr. Obasa urged those who have to share with those in need. He urged Muslims to pray for peace and the country while encouraging Nigerians to show love to one another irrespective of religious beliefs.
Just In: Assembly Asks Sanwo-Olu To Summon Stakeholders’ Meeting Over Hardship In Lagos
– Invites Commissioners, top officials for briefing
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently summon a stakeholders’ meeting to address the current hardship experienced by residents of the state in order for the government to adopt sustainable solutions beyond palliatives.
The lawmakers noted that though the current economic situation pervades the entire Nigeria and is mostly global in outlook, Lagos State and its local governments must do more to ameliorate the suffering in the land.
The House also advised leaders and statesmen to join forces with the government and play persuasive roles instead of inciting the people against the government.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said the situation called for a stakeholders’ meeting for the inputs of everyone including members of the National and state Assembly as well as local government chairmen.
“No doubt, there is a challenge before us as representatives of the people and it is the duty of all of us to proffer solutions.
“This is a situation that started long ago in Nigeria and was graduating. It is unfortunate that we are facing this now. The dollar issue did not start now. The prices of food and how farmers had been prevented from going to farms as a result of insecurity did not start now.
“The most unfortunate thing about it has to do with the comments coming from some leaders of the country. Instead of using their wisdom to appeal to the people, they use their words to incite people against the government as if they have not been in the country before now.
“We cannot leave the Federal Government alone to proffer solutions to our problems. There is no ‘abracadabra’ about it.
“The immediate concern is to appeal to our people. Protests and violence will not solve anything but take us backwards. Nobody prayed for the current situation, but we must work hand-in-hand to take us away from this mess.
It is not the president’s fault, neither is it the governor’s fault,” Dr. Obasa said while commending Governor Sanwo-Olu for recently starting the Trader Money programme through which 15,000 traders have benefitted.
The Speaker directed that the commissioners for agriculture and transportation, Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya and Oluwaseun Osiyemi, respectively as well as related parastatals and agencies be invited to brief the House on their plans to make life more comfortable for the people just as he urged serious sanctions against those who hoard dollars in the country.
“All this while, we have been talking about sports to take our youth off the streets as we have seen in other countries. Let us inject money into it and make it attractive so that they would be engaged. Our system of education must also be adjusted to emphasise what students can become on their own without seeking or applying for jobs.
“There is a need for orientation and sensitisation. There are a lot of complaints and negatives out there. The government should also embark on campaigns and orientation to make the people know the real situation and what is being done. The government’s voice must be louder than those who are hell-bent on destroying the country,” Dr. Obasa said while lamenting the current prices of cement and iron even when most of the materials are locally sourced.
Earlier speaking under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Hon. Segun Adebisi Ege representing Ojo Constituency 1 lamented the hardship rocking the state.
Ege also urged that Governor Sanwo-Olu be called upon to subsidise transportation and prices of food items in the state.
In his contribution, Deputy Majority Leader, Richard Adedamola Kasunmu, said there was a need for the government to bring out actionable plans to solve the economic problem in the country.
On his part, Hon. Adewale Temitope said the entire economic situation must be looked at holistically for a solution while Hon. Femi Saheed noted that other countries are facing the same situation with the price of a bag of rice over N120,000 in Cameroon and in Ghana, it is approximately N97,000. He emphasised the need to improve agriculture.
Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu stressed the need for Lagos government to prioritise power while Nureni Akinsanya of Mushin Constituency 1 advocated for food banks in Lagos State to make residents buy at cheaper rates.
Insecurity: Lagos Assembly Tasks NASS on Immediate Commencement of Constitutional Amendment
– reiterates call for state police
In response to the growing threats of kidnapping and other forms of insecurity in Nigeria, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the National Assembly to commence urgent constitutional amendment to allow for the creation of state police.
At a plenary session on Monday presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the House also called for the proper equipping of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, a body initiated by Speaker Obasa and backed by law to support other security agencies in the state.
Expressing concern over the pervasive insecurity across the country, Dr. Obasa, who spoke under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, said: “At the weekend, we heard of the attack on a commercial bus and the passengers abducted.”
Highlighting a recent kidnapping incident in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, Obasa noted the constant call by the House for the establishment of state police adding that the country’s security system is overstretched.
“This time around the National Assembly should be our focus. They don’t have to wait till the twilight of their tenure to start a constitutional amendment.
“This administration is at the beginning of its four years. So the National Assembly should begin the amendment now and we should be part of it to put an end to the issue of state police,” he said.
The Speaker allayed fears that governors could hijack the state police to their advantage as he said the law should put a system in place to check excesses.
While urging the Lagos government to allocate a specific percentage from the Security Trust Fund to empower and strengthen the Neighbourhood Safety Corps of the state, Obasa said it would be good for the root causes of insecurity to be addressed through effective youth engagement initiatives including sports.
“We must consider factors that lead to insecurity. Poverty – in this period of rising inflation – we can continue bringing relief to our people. Sports has been a very effective tool to take our youth away from crime,” he added.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Aro Moshood, who represents Ikorodu Constituency 2, shared a harrowing account of the recent kidnapping incident in Igbogbo Bayeku, Ijede Local Council Development Area, and appealed to the government for enhanced security surveillance in the area.
Hon. Ajayi Oladele representing Ibeju-Lekki Constituency 2 stressed the need for proactive measures by the government noting the influx of people into Lagos without proper accommodation plan.
Hon. Nureni Akinsanya representing Mushin Constituency 1 urged the state government to equip the Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly
Just In: Lawmakers Demand Identities Of 6 Cabinet Nominees Sent By Sanwo-Olu For Confirmation
– invite procurement agency, others over reports of govt spending
The Lagos State House of Assembly has received a letter from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu seeking the screening and confirmation of six new nominees for cabinet positions.
At a sitting presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, read the letter before the lawmakers quoting the governor as seeking the confirmation of a commissioner-nominee and five nominees in the position of special advisers.
However, the letter only named the commissioner-nominee as Mr. Abiodun Ogunleye, while the identities of the nominees for the position of special adviser were not mentioned making the House resolve to write back to the governor for the remaining identities.
Dr. Obasa, while agreeing with the lawmakers that names should be attached to the letter, said: “it is necessary for us to know who and who would become part of the cabinet.”
Reacting earlier, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, observed that the letter did not follow the usual procedure of revealing the identities of the nominees.
“Thus, the process of not mentioning the names seems like coming through the backdoor,” he said.
He was supported by his colleagues, Hon. Ladi Ajomale and Hon. Owolabi Ajani, who noted that the previous lists from the governor had details of the nominees and that this made the screening by the ad-hoc committee easy.
“But in this case, it is only the commissioner-nominee that had a name attached to it and this is surprising. Maybe we should also pass information to the governor that the names should be specified,” Ajomale said.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has invited the state’s procurement agency over reports of alleged spendings by the Offices of the Governor and the Deputy Governor.
Dr. Obasa, while noting that the executive arm of government had made efforts to declare the story as untrue, it was necessary for the House to look into the issue so as the establish the facts behind the story.
“So we call on the committee in charge of procurement to invite the agency and others mentioned and do a thorough job on this in order to establish facts concerning the publications,” the Speaker said.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
***as lawmakers suggest ways to improve future elections
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday congratulated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, over the affirmation of their victory in the March 18 governorship election by the Court of Appeal.
The lawmakers also said there was a need for the National Assembly’s electoral committee to work on issues of delay in voters registration as well as the high number of election cases handled by the Courts of Appeal.
This position of the lawmakers followed a letter read by the Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, informing the House that the National Assembly Committee on Electoral Act would have a three-day retreat in Lagos.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Lasbat-Meranda, who presided over plenary on behalf of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, agreed that registration of voters should be a continuous exercise in order to accommodate more eligible voters.
Lasbat-Meranda suggested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can start requesting for means of identification in the course of registering voters to ascertain an electorate’s actual places of residence.
The Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petition and LASIEC, Hon. Ajomale Oladipo, had earlier identified delay in voters registration and post-election legal matters as two challenges that the committee should tackle.
The lawmaker said that after general elections, Appeal Courts face the hurdle of attending to many cases leading to delayed judgements.
He added that the Electoral Act should accommodate state High Courts to handle some of the cases.
The Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Noheem Adams, said it was necessary for the National Assembly to create more awareness about the electoral review exercise while Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, representing Kosofe 1, suggested that the Electoral Act should accommodate diaspora voting.
On his part, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, representing Eti-Osa Constituency 2, urged the electoral committee to look into situations where people are mobilised to vote in areas where they are not resident.
“They occupy hotels during elections to sleep and leave for their states of residence after voting. Something should be done to address this,” he said.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Media Assistant to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
BREAKING: Lagos Tribunal dismisses PDP, LP’s petition against APC, Sanwo-Olu
The Lagos Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, on Monday, dismissed the petitions brought by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and the Labour Party, and Olajide Adediran, also known as Jandor of the People’s Democratic Party, challenging the victory of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the March 18 governorship election.
Meanwhile, the Tribunal also dismissed the preliminary objection of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which asked it to dismiss PDP’s petition.
The Tribunal dismissed the preliminary objection because the petitioner did not comply with provisions of the Electoral Act about payment of security as to cost.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Sanwo-Olu of APC winner of the March 18 governorship election.
Sanwo-Olu polled 762,134 votes to beat Rhodes-Vivour, who scored 312,329 votes. Jide Adediran (Jandor) of the PDP came a distant third, polling 62,449 votes.
Today, Monday, shortly after the announcement of appearances by all lawyers and parties in the case, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Arum Ashom announced that the court will first deliver judgment in the case of the PDP and its candidate before giving its judgment in the petition of the governorship candidate of LP, Rhodes-Vivour.
Justice Ashom also yielded the floor to his brother-judge, Justice Mikail Abdullahi, to read the judgment on behalf of the panel.
The third judge on the panel is Justice Igho Braimoh. In its judgment on Jandor’s petition, the tribunal first dwelt on the preliminary objections filed by the parties.
The first objection taken was whether the 3rd respondent, the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat, is a separate and distinct candidate from the 2nd respondent, Babajide SanwoOlu-Olu.
The tribunal was also asked to determine whether the deputy governor could be listed as a respondent in the petition.
The Tribunal noted that this issue had been decided in a number of cases and went on to hold that a deputy governor and governor are not separate candidates and they are not required to pay separate security deposit.
In the second objection, the tribunal was asked to decide whether a person who lost an election could be joined as a respondent in an election petition.
Jandor had joined the candidate of the Labour Party, Rhodes-Vivour as a respondent in his petition.
Citing a list of decided cases, the tribunal agreed that a petition is contemplated to be filed between the winner and the loser of an election and not between two persons who lost.
The tribunal, therefore, upheld the preliminary objection and subsequently struck out the name of the 5th respondent, Rhodes-Vivour from the petition filed by Jandor.
The tribunal also expunged from its records all exhibits tendered in evidence by Rhodes-Vivour in the petition filed by Jandor.
The tribunal went on to hold that Rhodes-Vivour cannot subsequently go on to challenge any part of the judgment of the Jandor’s petition or else he becomes a meddlesome interloper.
In a similar vein, the Tribunal held that the 6th respondent, Labour Party, ought not to have made a respondent in Jandor and the PDP’s petition.
The name of the party was subsequently struck out for being improperly joined. All evidence and exhibits concerning the party was also expunged from the tribunal’s records.
The Tribunal, however, disagreed with the objections made by the APC and its candidate that the misjoinder of the LP and its candidate was a ground for striking out the petition.
The tribunal held: “That the 5th and 6th respondents ought not have been made respondents to the petition cannot rob the tribunal of the jurisdiction to hear the parties.
“The question of a misjoinder cannot lead to a striking out of the petition as the proper order to make is to strike out the names of the parties.
“Already, the name of the 5th respondent has been struck out and the 6th respondent, who has been found to be improperly joined, is also ordered to be struck out.”
