The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Senator Douye Diri as the Governor of Bayelsa State, dismissing the petition filed by Timipre Sylvia, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate. Justice Garba Lawal, who delivered the lead ruling, stated that Sylvia and the APC’s appeal was not only without merit but also an abuse of the court process.
This unanimous decision by the Supreme Court affirms the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal. On July 18, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had upheld the Tribunal’s decision to affirm Diri’s reelection on November 11, 2023. The Tribunal, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, dismissed the petition filed by Sylvia and the APC on May 27, 2024, citing a lack of credible evidence to support their allegations against the election’s outcome.
