The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, Monday, urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Tokunbo Abiru, for the upcoming bye-election for Lagos East Senatorial District.
The PDP and its candidate, Babatunde Gbadamosi, are urging the court to disqualify Abiru for allegedly owning two voter’s cards.
The PDP, in a suit filed through its lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), claimed that the APC candidate is not from any of the LGAs under Lagos East Senatorial District.
Part of the PDP request is that the court should declare that Abiru, “who is not a registered voter in the Lagos East Senatorial District and having registered and exercised his right to vote outside Lagos East Senatorial District, cannot suddenly switch to Lagos East Senatorial District to contest for Senate without valid transfer of his voter registration card to the Lagos East Senatorial District through the 1st defendant (Independent National Electoral Commission)”.
The PDP and Gbadamosi also requested the court to order INEC to “delete the name of the 2nd and 3rd defendants (Abiru and APC) from the list of the candidates and political parties to participate in the Lagos East by-election.”
Meanwhile, through their lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Abiru and the APC filed a preliminary objection, praying that the suit be dismissed.
They hinted, “The complaints in this suit, as captured in questions 1-6 of the originating summons, as they relate to the residency or indigene of the 2nd defendant are not recognised grounds upon which the 2nd defendant can be disqualified from contesting an election.”
Having given reasons and counter reasons, Justice Chuka Obiozor adjourned hearing in the suit to Monday November 16 this year.
