Twist In Bayelsa: Alaibe’s Suit Throws Up Fresh Tension As Gov Diri Faces Legal Hurdles

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By Hamilton Nwosa (Head, The New Diplomat’s Business and Poll Tracking Desk)

Though he may have been sworn-in   as governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri  is currently facing serious legal, constitutional and political hurdles over the manner he allegedly emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in Bayelsa State.

Recall that the Supreme Court had last week Thursday declared PDP as winner of the Bayelsa State governorship polls, which had Diri as its candidate in the November 16 governorship election. The Supreme court’s decision had  invalidated Chief David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) election who was earlier declared as the winner and governor-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Bayelsa State governorship  elections.

Read also: Sylva Breaks Silence, Seeks Peace In Tension Soaked Bayelsa

However, The New Diplomat gathered that the judgment  has correspondingly triggered fresh political dynamics in Bayelsa State triggering intense tension and apprehension within the leadership of the PDP following a pending suit filed by for  former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, who is not only challenging the legality, constitutionality, and appropriateness of the entire exercise that threw up Diri  but also calling for the voiding of Diri’s candidature on grounds that it was illegally procured.

Chief Alaibe who came second   in the disputed and controversial PDP  primaries that produced Diri as PDP candidate is generally perceived as a strong, authentic and solid material that may have been shortchanged by  political racketeering allegedly engineered by former governor Seriake  Dickson.  A petition against Diri’s as the PDP’s flagbearer  by Chief  Alaibe is still on-going at the Federal High Court, Abuja fueling fresh permutations about the likely outcome of such a delicate, and decisive suit.

Impeccable sources close to Alaibe, and the PDP hierarchy in Abuja hinted that the former NDDC boss who still has his suit against the  alleged contentious emergence of Diri as PDP flagbearer  in the disputed September 3, 2019 governorship primaries may have come under serious pressures from PDP bigwigs including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-senate president Bukola Saraki, and Governor Nyesom  Wike of Rivers State to weigh options including accepting the Senatorial seat that has been vacated by Diri

Alaibe is said to predicate his case on grounds that PDP committed electoral, and constitutional illegality by blatantly allowing local government chairmen,  councilors , and all shades of ineligible persons to vote during the PDP primaries in sharp contrast, and utter violation of  the party’s guidelines which do not  permit elected chairmen and councilors elected within 90 days to the election, to vote during governorship primaries.

Recall that Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, who was at that material time in  question serving in acting capacity, had approved  Chief Alaibe’s request for a transfer of his suit against Diri to Abuja for a variety of reasons.

Consequently, the  presiding judge of the Federal High Court  in Yenagoa, Justice Jane Inyang,  had acceded to the directive of Justice Muhammad based on  Alaibe’s request. Inyang had noted that  Alaibe’s  request was predicated on “security concern in the state. ”

Recall that Senator Diri who was  backed by Dickson, had won the primary election. Diri scored 561 votes to beat  Alaibe who polled  365 votes to come second position.

In a swift reaction then, Chief  Alaibe’s campaign organization had described the   process  that threw up Diri as  “flawed”, “manipulated” and that the people’s choice as reflected in the actual legal process was Alaibe, who was “brazenly robbed of victory”.

Alaibe and his team then proceeded to  file a suit at the Federal High Court, Yenogoa, seeking, among other things  the outright cancellation of the results of the PDP primaries that produced Diri because it is illegal, a violation of all known electoral laws, party guidelines and INEC were among the defendants in the suit.

In the originating suit filed pursuant to Order 3(9) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, Alaibe is seeking to void Diri’s emergence as PDP candidate because it amounts to  a clear  breach  of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2010, the PDP Constitution, and the relevant Election Guidelines.

Alaibe submits that going by the conduct of  the Bayelsa State chapter of the PDP in the whole gamut of the Ward Congresses with its inclusion of local government council officials in the delegates list, and the process for the inclusion of three ad-hoc delegates,  the entire primaries that produced Diri amounts to an illegality, and should therefore be voided.

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

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