Tribunal Sacks Labour Party Rep In Lagos, Declares APC Winner

The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Lagos has nullified the election of the member representing Ojo Federal Constituency, Seyi Sowunmi of the Labour Party.

On Thursday, the court declared former Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Honourable Lanre Ogunyemi as the winner of the constituency.

Ogunyemi had challenged the declaration of his Labour Party opponent as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Delivering the judgement, the three-man panel agreed with the petitioner that the candidate of the Labour Party was not qualified to contest the elections.

It therefore declared Ogunyemi as the winner.

Members of the panel were Justice Ashu A. Ewah, Chairman; Justice Abdullahi A Ozegya; and Justice M A Sambo.

This is yet another blow on Labour Party, which won 38 House of Reps seats in the 2023 elections.

Last month, the Delta State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, sacked Ngozi Okolie, lawmaker representing Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency in the lower legislative chamber of the National Assembly.

The tribunal nullified the election of Okolie and declared candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,  Ndudi Elumelu, winner of the February 25 National Assembly election.

In a 107-page judgment that lasted over five hours, the three-member tribunal, headed by Justice A.Z. Mussa, declared that the LP candidate was wrongfully declared the winner by INEC.