Supreme Court affirms Diri as Bayelsa governor

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Duoye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa State.

A seven-member panel of the apex court made the affirmation on Wednesday to end legal challenges to the election.

The panel, led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, delivered a unanimous judgment that Mr Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, were duly elected.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ngwuta said it followed the withdrawal of the six appeals filed at the court by the appellants.

The appeals were filed by the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), Labour Movement (LM) and Accord Party (AP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had returned David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of last year’s Bayelsa governorship election but the Supreme Court voided the victory on February 13, just a day before his swearing in.

The apex court’s decision followed a petition accusing Mr Lyon’s running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo, of presenting forged certificates to INEC.

Subsequent petitions against Mr Diri’s election had been dismissed by the election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

Mr Diri was sworn in on February 14.