On Friday, the Supreme Court confirmed Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the rightful Governor of Bayelsa State, dismissing the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva, and his party.
Justice Garba Lawal, delivering the lead judgment, stated that the appeal lacked substance and constituted a blatant misuse of the judicial process.
The court’s unanimous decision aligned with previous rulings from both the Court of Appeal and the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
PulseNets reports that on July 18, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had already upheld Governor Diri’s re-election in the November 11, 2023, governorship election.
The three-member panel, headed by Justice James Abundaga, found the appeal from Sylva and the APC devoid of merit.
Also Read: Douye Diri Bayelsa State government’s Girl-Child Ambassador appointee, Nengi, in another controversy (Photos)
The tribunal, which dismissed the petition on May 27, was led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye. In a unanimous decision, it ruled that the petitioners failed to provide credible evidence to support their claims against the election outcome.
The tribunal also deemed the additional evidence and testimonies from some of the petitioners’ witnesses as inadmissible, citing that election petitions must be filed within 21 days of the declaration of the election results.
