January 12, (THEWILL) – The Supreme Court, on Friday, declared Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Lagos State.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed as lacking merit two separate appeals filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, candidates of the Labour Party and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abdulazeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, against the victory of Sanwo-Olu in the March 18th gubernatorial election in Lagos State.
Rhodes-Vivour had prayed the court to determine whether Sanwo-Olu was qualified to contest the election, considering that his Deputy and running mate, Obafemi Hamzat, has dual citizenship.
The appellant alleged that the Lagos State Deputy Governor took the citizenship of the United States of America, USA.
In its lead judgement delivered by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal, the apex court held that there is no law denying a Nigerian citizen by birth from enjoying his status, rights, and privileges owing to the acquisition of the citizenship of another country through naturalisation.
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