Olagbegi, Adetiba heads Lagos council election tribunal

*As parties vow to challenge result

Retired Justice Ade Olateru Olagbegi and Justice Folasade Adetiba have been chosen to head the Lagos State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, the Daily Times has learnt.

The council polls recently conducted by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) had been condemned by major opposition political parties in the state who accused the state electoral commission of rigging the election in favour of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

But a source who spoke to the Daily Times on the composition of the panel said the tribunal was divided into two divisions, adding that while Olagbegi would head the Lagos Island division at the complex of the court of appeal, Adetiba would head the Lagos Mainland division in the state High Court, Ikeja while the tribunal was expected to begin sitting yesterday Monday.

Meanwhile, the two major political party in Lagos state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Accord party (AC)who won councillorship positions in the election said they are set to fill cases challenging the election result released by LASIEC.

There had been insinuation in the media in recent days that the political parties would boycott the election tribunal over it composition and fears over it fairness, adding that they want to remain optimistic and see how the tribunal begin.

But speaking to Daily Times in separate telephone interviews, the two parties express their readiness to challenge the outcome and conduct of the council election result in the tribunal.

The former factional chairman of PDP in the state Segun Adewale said he had gotten assurance from the state electoral commission that the tribunal would begin sitting on monday and would also be ready to entertain cases.

He added that he had gone to the tribunal venue last week and met the place locked, stressing that all the party candidates had prepare evident against the result released by the commission and the manner the election was conducted.

He said” Yes we are heading to the tribunal, we have prepared our case, i was even there last week but the place was locked. I spoke with the chairman of the commission but I can not certain if it would be fair” Adewale said.

Also speaking the Secretary of the Accord party in Lagos state, Lanre Ogundare said his party was prepared to present evident that the election was rigged in favour of the ruling APC adding that it could not conclude if the tribunal would be fair.