February 3, 2015 – The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Lagos state, chapter may have scored a technical knockout against the All Progressives Congress in the February 28,governorship/House of Assembly election. And this is authoritative.
Investigation revealed that the newly posted Resident Electoral Commission in Lagos state, Mr. Akin Orebiyi has colluded with the APC national legal adviser, Mr. Muis Banire and National Organising Secretary, Mr. Kyari to replace a house of assembly candidate for Lagos Island 1, Mr. Sanni Wasiu Esinlokun with Masha Akeem Agboola.
A chieftain of PDP in Lagos state who crave anonymity hinted that his party has scored a technical knockout in the house of assembly election in Lagos Island constituency 1, because of illegality perpetrated by the APC and the REC, Mr. Akin Orebiyi.
Expatiating further, he said the law is clear on the matter:
“As it stands today, for all I care, APC has no candidate standing election in the Lagos Island 1 constituency for the Lagos State House of Assembly. As God would have it Sanni Wasiu Esinlokun that was validly nominated and presented to the INEC and whose name have been published by the electoral commission was substituted in a controversial way with another candidate when nomination has closed against the spirit and dictate of the Electoral Act as amended.
“Candidate could only be substituted if he dies before election or he withdraws or if the high court nullifies his nomination. The reason given by APC that its appeal committee upturned Sanni Esinlokun’s nomination is not known to the law.
“Even if the Masha that they are now presenting wins, we will approach the court and retrieve the mandate from him because he is not eligible based on the Electoral Act.
” Already, we have been returned unopposed in Lagos Island constituency 1, we are now contesting in the remaining 39 constituencies, and that implies that we are at advantage and ahead of APC even before the election commences,” he said.
By implication, APC may have boxed itself into a tight corner through imposition of candidates.
