Bayelsa Guber: Supreme Court Upholds Diri's Victory, Dismisses APC's Appeal

The Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a landmark judgment, upholding the election of Senator Douye Diri as the Governor of Bayelsa State.

The apex court dismissed an appeal brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Timipre Sylva, describing it as "lacking merit" and a "gross abuse of court process."

Justice Garba Lawal, who delivered the lead judgment, stated unequivocally that the appeal was baseless.

"The appeal by Sylva and the APC is not only lacking in merit but also a gross abuse of court process," he declared.

This ruling aligns with earlier decisions made by both the Court of Appeal and the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

On July 18, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had unanimously affirmed the tribunal's decision, which upheld Diri’s reelection on November 11, 2023.

The tribunal, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, had dismissed the petition filed by the APC and Sylva on May 27, 2024, citing a lack of credible evidence to support their allegations against the election results.

"The tribunal held that both Sylva and APC failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the governorship poll," noted the court records.