The Lagos State National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal is facing calls to nullify the elections of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, who served as the Secretary of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Organization for the 2023 Presidential Election. These petitions form two of the 25 petitions filed by aggrieved parties before the tribunal.
The Labour Party candidate, Adeola Adebanjo, filed the petition against Gbajabiamila for the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, urging the tribunal to nullify the election conducted on February 25 due to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) alleged failure to comply with the provisions of the law and its regulations and guidelines for conducting elections.
Similarly, the Labour Party candidates for the Ikeja Federal Constituency, Mutiu Okunola, and his party are challenging the declaration of Faleke as the winner of the election, citing that the election was invalid for non-compliance with the provision of the Act. Okunola is also seeking a declaration that substantial irregularities and non-compliance marred the election conducted by INEC, calling for a fresh one.
Aside from these two petitions, seven candidates of the Labour Party for the House of Representatives in seven state constituencies also filed other petitions. These petitions highlight the need for adherence to electoral laws and guidelines to guarantee free and fair elections in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.