Updated: Governor Diri Heads To Appeal Court As Tribunal Annuls His Election

Related stories

Breakdown as FAAC Disburses N1.818 Trillion in June 2025 

• FG Receives Lion share By Abiola Olawale The Federation Account...

2027: Osun Senator, Fadeyi Dumps PDP, Amid Adeleke’s Defection Speculations

By Abiola Olawale Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, the lawmaker representing Osun...

Ranked: The 40 Countries With the Best Culture and Heritage

Greece is the best country in the world known...

EFCC Probing 18 Sitting Governors in Major Corruption Crackdown, Olukoyede Reveals

Reveals ex-governor Arrested in UK for spraying Money By...

Natasha Vows to Return to Senate Tuesday, Despite Akpabio’s Appeal

By Abiola Olawale Suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has...

From Joseph Obukata (The New Diplomat’s N’Delta Correspondent)

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said he asked his lawyers to file appeal papers against Monday’s ruling of the state’s election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja, which annulled his election and ordered a fresh election in the state.

Governor Diri, who spoke shortly after the tribunal ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrongly excluded the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) governorship candidate from the November 16, 2019 election, said he has implicit confidence in the judiciary that he would triumph in the end.

Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying: “We trust in the judiciary and we are appealing the judgement. With God on our side, we will get justice.

“This is a court of first instance and I have instructed our lawyers to file an appeal. We have a right of appeal even up to the Supreme Court.”

The governor asked members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his supporters not to panic. He also called on them to avoid any break down of law and order in the state.

The New Diplomat had reported that Bayelsa Gubernatorial Petition Tribunal nullified the election that produced Governor Diri of Bayelsa State, sequel to a petition by ANDP and its candidate, King George which argued that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election.

The tribunal which upheld the prayers of the petitioner, in a majority judgment, ordered a bye-election within 90 day and also ordered the INEC to include ANDP and its candidate in the bye-election to be conducted.

ANDP had in a petition it lodged before the tribunal, contended that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, despite the fact that it fulfilled all the statutory requirements.

Justices Owei Woniwei and Yunusa Musa, in their majority judgement, agreed that INEC illegally excluded ANDP and its governorship candidate, King George, from the election.

However, the Chairman of the three-member panel, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, in his lone-decision said there was evidence that ANDP was disqualified from the election for fielding an ineligible candidate.

Sirajo noted that the party nominated an underaged deputy governorship candidate, who admitted that he was 34 years old, instead of the 35 years age bracket the Constitution stipulated.

The majority ruling on Monday is coming two days after the tribunal had on Saturday struck out a petition submitted to it by the Alliance for Democracy, against the Governor, affirming the election of Diri as Bayelsa Governor.

Recall Diri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last guber poll in Bayelsa, was sworn in as governor after the supreme court had sacked Mr. David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress as governor-elect less than 24 hours to his inauguration.

Despite Lyon’s landslide victory in the election, in a judgement that sent shock down the bone marrows, the Supreme Court sacked Lyon on the ground that his deputy, Degi-Eremienyo allegedly forged his certificates.

However, the Monday’s court ruling that sacked Diri as governor, following the nullification of his election may have opened up a fresh round of political contest among parties and candidates that participated in the 2019 guber election in Bayelsa, pending Diri’s appeal.

'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Breakdown as FAAC Disburses N1.818 Trillion in June 2025 2027: Osun Senator, Fadeyi Dumps PDP, Amid Adeleke's Defection SpeculationsRanked: The 40 Countries With the Best Culture and HeritageEFCC Probing 18 Sitting Governors in Major Corruption Crackdown, Olukoyede RevealsNatasha Vows to Return to Senate Tuesday, Despite Akpabio's AppealPresidency, ADC in War of Words Over BuhariPresidency, ADC in War of Words Over Buhari(VIDEO) Gambari Weighs in on Buhari's Legacy, Says History Will Be Kind to Him2027: Osun Senator, Fadeyi Dumps PDP, Amid Adeleke's Defection SpeculationsEFCC Probing 18 Sitting Governors in Major Corruption Crackdown, Olukoyede RevealsDrama as Okpebholo Tells Peter Obi: Notify me Before Visiting Edo or Else I Can't Guarantee Your SecurityTrump Vows to Sue Rupert Murdoch as Epstein Report Opens New Rift in Their RelationshipTinubu Names IBB’s Son, Top Experts to Lead Key Nigerian Agencies2027: Labour Party Appoints Nenadi Usman as Interim National Chairperson Alleged $9.6 Billion P&ID Fraud: Fleeing Briton’s Surety Arrested, Produced In Court
X whatsapp