profiling and intimidation

Nigeria: Sanwo-Olu re-elected Lagos governor in controversial election 

By Ben Ezeamalu

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Posted on March 20, 2023 15:43

© Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu speaks following his reelection at the 18 March 2023 elections (photo: @jidesanwoolu)
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu speaks following his reelection at the 18 March 2023 elections (photo: @jidesanwoolu)

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu the winner of 2023 governorship election in Lagos, in an exercise observers and journalists say was marred by low turnout, violence, and voter intimidation.

According to the INEC, Sanwo-Olu polled 762,134 votes to defeat his closest challengers, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP) and Abdulazeez Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 312,329 and 62,449 votes, respectively.

There were fireworks and jubilation at the governor’s residence after the electoral commission declared Sanwo-Olu the winner of the election.

The results were, however, immediately rejected by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party candidate.

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