Appeal court throws out APC’s suit, affirms Diri’s re-election as Bayelsa Gov

By Jude Opara, Abuja

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday affirmed the decision of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Tribunal, which had upheld the November 11, 2023, re-election of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.
A 3-man panel of the appellate court in a unanimous judgment dismissed an appeal seeking to set aside and dismiss the decision of the Tribunal.
Recall that the Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led three-member tribunal had on May 27, dismissed as lacking in merit, the petition filed against Governor Diri’s re-election by the APC and its candidate.
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 governorship poll.
The instant appeal was filed by the All Progressives Congress, and its governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva.
The panel held that the appeal was incompetent and constituted an abuse of the court process, lacking in merit and consequently liable for dismissal.
The panel explained that there was no cogent proof founded on law to quash the earlier judgement of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.