The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, dismissing the appeal brought by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Timipre Sylvia.
The lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal stated that the appeal was “not only lacking merit but a gross abuse of court process.”
The unanimous decision of the apex court upheld the earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal. The Court of Appeal in Abuja had previously affirmed the decision of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had upheld Diri’s reelection on November 11, 2023.
The Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led tribunal had dismissed the petition filed against Governor Diri’s reelection by the APC and its candidate, stating that they “failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the governorship poll.”
The Supreme Court’s decision brings an end to the legal challenges against Governor Diri’s election, solidifying his position as the duly elected governor of Bayelsa State.
