Renowned singer-turned-politician Bankole Wellington, known as Banky W, has expressed gratitude for what he considers a miraculous turn of events at the Election Petitions Tribunal.
This second chance to secure the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in Lagos State has left him in awe. Late in the evening on September 11, 2023, the tribunal rendered a verdict nullifying Thaddeus Attah's victory under the Labour Party. The February 25 election was declared inconclusive due to the absence of voting in several polling units. Attah had been initially declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 24,075 votes. In comparison, Bank W of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Ibrahim Obanikoro of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) trailed with 18,666 and 16,901 votes, respectively.
In response to petitions submitted by the first and second runners-up, the court mandated INEC to organise a supplementary election within 90 days across all 33 polling units where voting was not conducted.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics yesterday, September 14, 2023, Banky W remarked, “Personally, this is a miraculous turn of events for me, getting another opportunity to conclude the election. I believe it underscores the power of resilience, faith, and the united determination of citizens eager to contribute to restoring our democracy.”
He emphasised, “Many individuals were understandably disheartened by their inability to participate in that election. This highlights a crucial aspect of our democracy: ensuring that people are not denied their constitutional right to engage in the electoral process.”
