The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), to join hands with his administration to develop the State.
OsunDailyNG reported that the Tribunal, on Monday, dismissed separate petitions filed by Jandor and Rhodes-Vivour challenging the outcome of the March 18 governorship election in the State, in which Sanwo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu, expressed readiness to sit with the opposition candidates and have conversations about their ideas on the development of the State.
While urging them to display the spirit of sportsmanship and accept the verdict of the Tribunal in good faith, the governor said there is an opportunity for everyone to contribute to the growth of Lagos.
Sanwo also described the tribunal verdict as well thought-out and detailed, stressing that the court decision further affirmed the judiciary’s commitment to fairness and justice.
Dedicating the judgment to all residents of the State, the governor added there was no victor or vanquished.
The statement reads, “I still want to give an opportunity to opposition parties’ candidates that contested against us to join hands with us if they share the same passion and commitment that we have to serve. We are ready to sit with them and have conversation around what ways they can channel their ideas in the development of the State. Lagos, is big and its challenges are real, while its opportunities are boundless. There is always a room for everybody to contribute.
“I am glad to announce the information I have just received that Lagos Election Petition Tribunal judgements have been given in our favour. I commend the judiciary and the judges that delivered the well thought-out and detailed judgments. They took their time to explain to everyone the reasons that led them to the views and conclusion they gave today. We thank the judges for their firm commitment to principle of fairness and justice.
“As it is, Mr Deputy and I feel very privileged to have been elected to serve at this important moment in the history of our State. We thank all Lagosians for standing by us all through this journey. For us, this judgement is a victory for all. We are not coming out here to say somebody won or lost. For all of us on this political trajectory, there are no winners or losers.
“For us, our aim in governance is about service and ensuring that we are not distracted from all the promises we made to Lagosians. This judgement has given us the opportunity to double up our interventions to ensure that we continue to deliver quality dividends of democracy to our citizens.”
