It’s still possible  —  Banky W hopeful as tribunal orders rerun in Eti-Osa

In the February 25 election, Banky W lost to Thaddeus Atta, the candidate of the Labour Party. 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Attah, who many believed to be underdog as the winner of the poll.

Atta won the election with 24,075 votes, beating Banky W of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 18,666 votes, and Ibrahim Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress, who had 16,901 votes.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Bank W and Obanikoro filed petitions challenging the election results.

However, in a late-night judgment delivered on Monday, September 11, 2023, the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos State nullified Atta’s victory and declared the election inconclusive.

The court also ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in all polling units where voting did not take place.

Reacting to this, the singer in a post on his X page expressed hope that he could still win the election as his fans begin to root for him. 

“It is possible. Still,” Banky W simply wrote on his social media page. 

Likewise, Obanikoro who came third in the election has announced his readiness to go back to the drawing board following the pronouncement of the tribunal.

In a post on his Instagram page, Obanikoro said, “It was all smiles at the tribunal court when it was confirmed that there would be a supplementary election in several polling units under the Eti-Osa Federal constituency where the election did not take place. I believe that our justice system is on the right track and I praise the judges for this ruling which adheres to the components of the Constitution. Work starts now.”

Meanwhile, Atta has clarified that he was not sacked by the court, adding that the tribunal only ordered a rerun in 32 polling units.

The lawmaker urged his constituents to keep calm, saying “We will get through this together.”