Bayelsa Guber: Tribunal affirms Diri’s election, dismisses APC petition

The Bayelsa State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has reaffirmed the re-election of Governor Douye Diri and the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

In the ruling today, the Tribunal dismissed the petition filed by the APC Gubernatorial candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva for lacking in merit.

The Tribunal described the first two grounds of the petition as contradictory where the petitioner, Sylva asked the court to declare him winner in the same election he requested to be declared null and void for non-compliance to the electoral processes.

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According to the Court, the allegation of certificate forgery and NYSC exemption certificate on the eligibility of the Deputy Governor, Ewhrudjakpo, remains a pre-election and so, the petitioner’s prayer is incompetent and therefore, dismissed.

The Tribunal however, said that with the facts and documents before them, the Governor and Deputy Governor are qualified to contest the election.

The tribunal dismissed the three grounds Chief Sylva’s based his petition.