Politics
Diri’s Bayelsa Election Tribunal Victory: Facts are sacred!
The victory of Governor Douye Diri and the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, at the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal didn’t come to people of good conscience as a surprise.
Most watchers and key participants in the November 11 guber election knew clearly that the election was won clean and fine by the candidates of the PDP despite the electoral malfeasance perpetrated by agents of the APC candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.
In fact, it was glaring that Diri was the most popular candidate in the build up to that election.
Nigerians, particularly Bayelsans are shocked that Sylva approached the Tribunal with “cooked votes” never backed by BVAS accreditation; results that the electoral umpire, INEC roundly denounced.
INEC representative at the tribunal queried the source of the fake results brought to the court as they were not generated by any of the officials of INEC.
Is it not ridiculous that no INEC official came to testify or stand by those ‘voodoo’ votes from the disputed 184 polling units?
In its unanimous decision, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the Bayelsa state governorship poll.
It is shameful to note that the petitioner and his legal team were slammed for procedural error in filing their petition at the onset.
What a bad omen! Sadly, no diligence in presenting their case. Was it that Dennis Otiotio and his co-travellers forgot that all accompanying documents including statements on oath of their witnesses were to be filed within the statutory 21 days?
According to the tribunal, the law expressly provided that an election petition must be filed not later than 21 days after the result of an election was declared.
The tribunal held that the decision of Sylva and his party to file their additional proof of evidence and statement on oath of witnesses, long after they had filed the petition, was “tantamount to a surreptitious attempt to amend the case of the petitioners.”
More so, the tribunal dismissed the allegation that the deputy governor,
Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, tendered forged University Degree Certificate and NYSC Exemption Certificate, to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in aid of his qualification to contest the election.
The tribunal held that the deputy governor’s educational qualification had already been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
With all the available facts, it is very clear that the Bayelsa APC and its candidate are merely chasing shadows as they embarked on unproductive and unworthy cause of legal action.
What a laughable scenario whereas Sylva and his party prayed the tribunal to declare them winners of the governorship election, and in the same breath, applied for the same election to be declared null and invalid. What a contradiction in a state of political confusion!
The pointers in this case are very clear and do not favour Timipre Sylva. It is a bad case! It lacks merit. Even if the matter is “surreptitiously” taken to the ‘World Court’, the facts are too overwhelming to dismiss the petition. This petition is simply a waste of precious time of the court.
The November 11 Guber election declaration cannot be easily manipulated because the process produced a generally acceptable results in favour of the incumbent Governor, Douye Diri.
The general interest and progress of the state should be bigger than the personal interest of a few political actors. Chief Sylva has no case to pursue. It’s time to be a man of honour!