Supreme Court Upholds Douye Diri’s Re-election as Bayelsa Governor

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the re-election of Senator Douye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa State. The apex court dismissed an appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, and his party.

According to a judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, the appeal by Sylva and APC was not only lacking in merit but also a gross abuse of court process. The court held that the petitioners failed to adduce credible evidence to substantiate their allegations against the outcome of the state’s governorship poll.

The Supreme Court’s decision came after the Court of Appeal in Abuja had earlier affirmed Diri’s re-election victory in the November 11, 2023 governorship poll. The three-member panel of justices led by Justice James Abundaga held that the appeal filed by the appellants lacked merit.

The election tribunal, which dismissed the petition filed by Sylva and APC on May 27, held that the petitioners failed to provide credible evidence to support their claims. The tribunal also struck out all additional proof of evidence and statements on oath of some witnesses who testified for the petitioners, deeming them incompetent.

The law, according to the tribunal, explicitly provides that an election petition must be filed no later than 21 days after the election result was declared.

With this decision, Diri’s re-election as Bayelsa governor has been formally ratified, ending weeks of uncertainty and speculation.