The Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Petition Tribunal has nullified the election of Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State.
The election was nullified based on a petition by the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, which argued that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election.
The Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, ANDP, approached the tribunal, seeking the cancellation of the election because it was not included in the election which was held on November 16, 2019.
Delivering judgment on Justice Yunusa Musa, a judge, on behalf of the tribunal, chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo upheld the prayer of ANDP and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election in Bayelsa within 90 days.
NAN reports that on August 15, the tribunal upheld the election of Governor Diri and his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
The tribunal in a unanimous decision dismissed the first petition that was filed by the Alliance for Democracy, AD, and its candidate, Owei Woniwei, for want of merit.
The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to by way of credible evidence, prove that the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Ewhrudjakpo, tendered forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
In the lead judgment that was read by Justice S.M. Owoduni, the tribunal further held that the petitioners failed to also establish the allegation that Ewhrudjakpo falsified his age.
Describing the case as “unnecessary waste of time of the court”, the tribunal upheld preliminary objections that Diri, Ewhrudjakpo and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lodged to challenge the competence of the petition.
The AD and its candidate had in their petition, alleged that Ewhrudjakpo altered the name on the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, certificate he presented to INEC for the purpose of the governorship election that was held on Nov. 19, 2019.
NAN
