Appeal Court Upholds Ambode’s Election Victory, Asks Agbaje To Pay Him N50,000

Jimi-Agbaje-vs-AMBODE

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has affirmed the verdict of the Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which upheld the victory of Akinwunmi Ambode at the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Lagos State.

The tribunal sitting in Ikeja, had few weeks ago, struck out the petition filed by Mr Jimi Agbaje, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The appellate court, Wednesday, upheld the July 1, 2015 decision of the Justice Muhammad Sijaro-led tribunal which declared as incompetent and therefore struck out the petition by Agbaje.

The five-man appeal panel, after dismissing Agbaje’s appeal on the grounds of incompetence, ordered him to compensate each of the respondents with the sum of N50,000 each.

The four respondents in the suit were Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, APC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner.

Ambode won the April 11, 2015 poll by INEC, having polled 811,994 votes ahead of Agbaje who polled 659,788 votes.