In the ongoing legal battle over the Bayelsa State governorship election, Governor Douye Diri has urged the Supreme Court to reject an appeal filed by Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
Diri argues that Sylva’s appeal is fundamentally flawed and lacks any supporting evidence.
During a session on Monday, Diri’s legal representative, Chris Uche, SAN, argued that Sylva’s appeal should be dismissed entirely.
Uche described the appeal as “terribly bad beyond redemption” and asserted that it had no merit. Both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have aligned with Diri’s position.
INEC’s representative, Charles Edoshomwan, and PDP’s lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, both supported the call for dismissal, stating that the appeal did not meet the required legal standards.
On the other hand, Sylva’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, has requested that the Supreme Court overturn previous rulings by the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
Sylva is seeking to nullify the election results that declared Diri the winner and to have himself recognized as the rightful winner of the gubernatorial race.
The Supreme Court panel, led by Justice Garba Lawal, has heard arguments from all parties involved. However, a decision on the matter will be postponed until a future date, which will be announced to the concerned parties.
