Lagos PDP urges INEC to disqualify Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify the standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The party accused Sanwo-Olu of recently using the TraderMoni visitations to various markets to campaign, contrary to INEC’s stipulated time in the elections timetable.

The PDP also asked that Sanwo-Olu be prosecuted for violating the elections timetable on start of campaigns.

PDP spokesman, Taofik Gani, said the deliberate rallies into Lagos markets by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was basically to introduce Sanwo-Olu to the traders for votes, and not to launch any trade support programme.

According to the party: “At every of the visitations to the markets, Sanwo-Olu was introduced as governorship candidate of the APC, with Osibanjo asking the traders to vote APC to continue the TraderMoni scheme.

Similarly, the visitations were hyped with APC’s campaign posters, souvenirs, and musicians to promote the party’s candidate.

He said: “The markets visitation is apparent electoral impunity which the INEC cannot deny knowledge of, thus allowing the ruling party to over reach other political parties in the state. If this is not stopped, other parties would also commence campaigns and indeed the INEC should be responsible for abetting the offences.”

The party accused the electoral commission of not sanctioning the Lagos APC and its governorship candidate who have also been using the state media houses to canvass for votes.

Reacting, spokesman of Lagos APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said Sanwo-Olu’s visitation to various markets was nothing different from his series of consultations and meetings with various stakeholders.

According to Igbokwe: “Sanwo-Olu’s outing with the vice president and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to promote the TradeMoni success story should not be an exception. PDP is crying wolf where there is none.”

When contacted yesterday, spokesman of INEC, Mr. Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has advocated people of good conscience and high integrity to drive the economy.

Ambode spoke yesterday at the Lagos House in Ikeja, when he received the national leadership of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (Nigeria) on a courtesy visit.

He said this was necessary, if the country must develop and have sizable improvement in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

National President of the fellowship, Mr. Ifeanyi Odedo, who led the delegation, said the team was at Lagos House to seek partnership and officially inform the governor of its ongoing 87th National Convention of the Fellowship.