The Supreme Court has confirmed Senator Douye Diri’s election as the legitimate governor of Bayelsa State, dismissing an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva.
Justice Garba Lawal, who delivered the lead judgment, deemed the appeal without merit and an abuse of the court process. This ruling upholds the earlier decisions of both the Court of Appeal and the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
On July 18, the Court of Appeal in Abuja unanimously supported the Tribunal’s decision, which had endorsed Diri’s re-election on November 11, 2023. The appellate court’s three-man panel rejected Sylva and APC’s appeal to overturn the Tribunal’s ruling.
Earlier, on May 27, the Tribunal led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye had dismissed the challenge to Diri’s re-election, citing insufficient credible evidence from Sylva and APC.The Supreme Court’s final ruling solidifies Diri’s position as the duly elected governor of Bayelsa State.This final ruling by the Supreme Court reinforces Diri’s position as the duly elected governor of Bayelsa State.
