The 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Lagos election, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has asked the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongbam-Mensem, to transfer the hearing of his appeal to Abuja.
In a letter dated October 23, 2023, and addressed to Justice Dongbam-Mensem, Jandor said the transfer would ensure fairness and objectivity devoid of potential meddling.
It was gathered that the notice was received on the same day at the office of the President of the Court of Appeal.
On October 13, Jandor filed a 34-page notice of appeal challenging the September 25 judgment of the State Election Petition Tribunal which dismissed his petition for lacking in merit.
The 38-page document was filed by his team of lawyers led by Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat; the All Progressive Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour were all listed as respondents in the notice of appeal.
Transfer Of Election Cases To Abuja
It would be recalled that Justice Dongban-Mensem as part of efforts to eradicate political interference in the courts, transferred all election petition cases pending before the court in the 36 states to Abuja and Lagos.
With this move, all appeal cases on governorship, and national and state assembly elections arising from tribunal judgments are now been heard by special panels in the two states instead of the 20 divisions of the court.
Appeals from the southern part of the country are being heard by special panels made up of justices across the country sitting in Lagos while appeals from the northern part of the country are being heard by special panels sitting in Abuja.
