The petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, against Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, experienced a setback during Monday’s sitting.
Naija News gathered that the hearing was stalled on Monday at the Tribunal due to the absence of the petitioners’ witness.
It was learnt that the witness who was in court earlier yesterday had to seek medical attention because of the state of his health.
The witness who stalled the hearing yesterday would have been the 11th to testify in Rhodes-Vivour’s petition seeking to nullify the victory of Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy.
At the proceedings the lead counsel for the petitioner, Olumide Ayeni (SAN) was absent but the counsel who held his brief, Idowu Benson, told the Tribunal that the witness came to the court earlier but had to leave for medical attention when his health condition deteriorated before the day’s proceedings commenced.
The council asked the Tribunal to grant a short adjournment of the proceedings till the next day.
He said, “The witness complained of feeling ill after waiting for some time and then excused himself that he needed to go to the hospital. We have informed the other counsel and craved their understanding.”
Meanwhile, counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Eric Ogiegor; and Segun Ajibola, counsel representing Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat did not object to the application for an adjournment
Counsel for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Morrison Quakers (SAN), also did not object, since it was a health-related issue.
Quakers said, “The witness of the Tribunal had a health challenge. If tomorrow (Tuesday) is convenient, we can come back tomorrow, except they have another witness.”
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Ashom, subsequently adjourned the hearing to Tuesday, July 4, 2023, after taking the submission from all parties.
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