In a significant ruling, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the re-election of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, dismissing an appeal brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.
The three-man panel of Justices unanimously declared the appeal as incompetent and an abuse of court process. They affirmed the decision of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which earlier upheld Governor Diri’s victory in the November 2023 gubernatorial poll.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, had previously dismissed the petition filed by the APC and Chief Timipre Sylva, citing lack of credible evidence to substantiate allegations of electoral irregularities. It also rejected claims regarding the educational qualifications of Governor Diri’s deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stating they were pre-election matters that should have been addressed earlier.
The tribunal noted that the petitioners failed to prove their case or demonstrate how alleged irregularities affected the election outcome. It upheld objections raised by the respondents and affirmed that the election results as declared by INEC accurately reflected the voters’ choices.
Governor Diri was declared winner by INEC with 175,196 votes, defeating Chief Timipre Sylva who polled 110,108 votes. The ruling marks a conclusive legal victory for Governor Diri, confirming his mandate to govern Bayelsa State.
The court’s decision underscores the adherence to legal procedures in electoral disputes and reinforces the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
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