Supreme Court Affirms Diri As Governor Of Bayelsa State

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed Senator Douye Diri as the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State, on the November 11th gubernatorial election, upholding the judgments of the lower Courts (Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal and Court of Appeal).

The apex court in a judgment on Friday, 23rd of August, 2024, dismissed the appeal of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylvia, challenging the victory of Senator Douye Diri and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 November 11th gubernatorial election.

hotnewsng.org reports that the lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, held that the appeal by Chief Timipre Sylva and the APC was not only lacking merit, but a gross abuse of the court process.

The unanimous decision of the apex court, upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal, declaring Senator Douye Diri as the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on the 18th of July, 2024, in a unanimous judgment affirmed the judgment of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which declared Governor Diri’s re-election on the 2023 November 11th gubernatorial election.

A three-man panel of the appellate court had in the judgment dismissed an appeal brought before the Court by Chief Timipre Sylva and the APC, seeking to set aside the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal.

The Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led tribunal had on May 27, 2024, dismissed the petition filed against Governor Diri’s re-election by the APC and its candidate for lacking in merit.

The tribunal held that both Sylva and APC failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations raised against the outcome of the governorship poll.