The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos Chapters has filed a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking to restrain Abiru Mukail Adetokunbo from joining the race for Lagos East Senatorial District.

The PDP, alongside its senatorial candidate, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi filed the application to the Federal High court sitting in Lagos State, seeking to reconsider and scrutinize the qualification of Adetokunbo to contest for the position.

The opposition party in the suit alleged that the APC candidate is not worthy of contesting for the senatorial seat because he is not from any of the Local Government Ares that made up the Lagos East Senatorial District.

It also alleged that Gbadamosi is not registered to vote within the Lagos East Senatorial District, and accused the INEC of accepting him to tussle for Lagos East Senatorial District seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Read Also: BUHARI, APC, OTHERS MOURN SENATOR OSINOWO

The PDP further questioned the worthiness of Gbadamosi, who it said has no right to vote can be voted in. 

In the suit, the PDP had urged the court to summon the defendants on the following grounds:

“Whether under and by virtue of the provisions of Sections 71 and 72 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (AS ALTERED) and the INEC letter dated August 26, 2020, Abiru Mukail Adetokunbo who is not from any of the Local Government Ares that made up the Lagos East Senatorial District qualified to contest election as the candidate of the PDP in the state senatorial District bye-election slated for October 31, 2020.

“Whether by the combined reading of the provision of sections 71 and 72 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Altered) and the INEC letter dated August 26, 2020, Abiru Mukail Adetokunbo who is not from Lagos East Senatorial District and having not registered to vote within the Lagos East Senatorial District can be validly nominated by the APC and accepted by the INEC as the candidate of the APC in Lagos East Senatorial District Bye-Election scheduled to hold on October 31, 2020.

“Whether Abiru Mukail Adetokunbo who has no right to vote in, can be voted for.

Adetokunbo Mukail Abiru, a former commissioner for Finance under the Governor Babatunde Fashola, on August 26, joined the race for Lagos East Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The seat became vacant following the death of Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo aka ‘pepperito’ of the APC, who died of complications related to COVID-19 on June 15, 2020, at 46.

Subsequently, after the death of Osinowo, several candidates under different political platforms have shown interest in occupying the vacant seat.

Read Also: Read Also: UPDATE: POLICE DETAINS INSPECTOR FOR INJURING JOURNALIST COVERING PROTEST IN LAGOS

Abiru amongst other APC members including former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, two former Speakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Jokotola Pelumi and Adeyemi Ikuforiji, former Senator who represented the senatorial district between 2011 and 2019, Gbenga Ashafa, a former Commissioner for Public Transportation and member of the Governor’s Advisory Council in the state, Chief Lanre Razak (now late) showed interest in the position.

Others include a former Clerk of the House of Assembly, Ganiyu Abiru; Tola Kasali, former commissioner, Hon. Ekundayo Alebiosu; former House of Representatives member, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of Diaspora Commission and Kunle Soname, former council chairman; House of Representatives members Ademorin Kuye (Somolu) and Rotimi Agunsoye (Kosofe), and Muyiwa Adedeji, former Kosofe Council boss, were said to have indicated interests.

After Abiru was announced the candidate of the APC, criticism emerged because many had thought the seat will be occupied by one of the candidates from Epe Local Government Area, one of the five LGAs under the senatorial district. 

It was gathered that no member from the Epe LGA had been opportune to become a representative of the Lagos East Senatorial District.

Other four LGA in the senatorial district, namely, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Shomolu, had had one of their members occupy the seat.