PDP asks court to disqualify Lagos APC candidates over ‘late submission’ of nomination forms

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed a suit seeking the disqualification of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Lagos governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1972/22, dated October 17 and filed before a federal high court in Abuja, the PDP is also seeking to invalidate the nomination of the 40 Lagos state assembly candidates over late submission of their nomination forms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the PDP, the combined provisions of sections 29 and 30(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 make it mandatory for a political party to submit the nomination forms of the candidates it proposes to sponsor for elections to INEC not later than 180 days to the conduct of elections.

In the affidavit in support of the suit, the PDP said as at 11am on October 17,  “it was discovered that the APC was yet to submit the nomination forms of the 3rd-43rd defendants to the online portal of the 1st defendant”.

Consequently, the PDP is praying the court for a declaration that the Lagos APC candidates stand disqualified for failing to submit the nomination forms to INEC not later than 180 days to the elections.

The opposition party also wants the court to declare that the APC “is not entitled to participate and field a candidate to contest the governorship and state house of assembly elections of Lagos state having contravened the revered and mandatory provisions of Section 29 and 300) of the Electoral Act”.

The PDP is asking the court for “an order setting aside or nullifying forthwith the purported sponsorship and/or nomination of the 3rd-43rd defendants by the 2nd defendant (APC) to the 1st defendant (INEC) in respect of the forthcoming governorship and state house of assembly elections in Lagos state”.

Also, the party is seeking “an order of injunction restraining the 1st defendant either by herself, agents, privies, surrogates or any other person(s) whosoever from according recognition to the 2nd-43rd Defendants or in any manner whatsoever featuring or parading the 2nd-43rd Defendants as a political party and candidate respectively in the forthcoming governorship and state house of assembly”.