The Supreme Court has affirmed Senator Douye Diri’s victory in the Bayelsa State election.
On Friday, the apex court in the land rejected an appeal filed by Timipre Sylvia, the APC’s gubernatorial candidate.
According to the lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, the appeal was not only without merit but also a blatant misuse of the legal system.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision supported the earlier rulings of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal.
News About Nigeria reports that the Court of Appeal in Abuja had previously upheld the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s decision on July 18, 2024.
A three-member panel of the appellate court dismissed Timipre Sylva and APC’s appeal, seeking to overturn the Tribunal’s decision.
The Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led tribunal had previously dismissed the petition against Governor Diri’s reelection on May 27, 2024, due to lack of evidence.
The tribunal found that Sylva and APC failed to provide credible evidence to support their allegations against the election outcome.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared that governor Duoye Diri of the PDP garnered a total of 175,196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the APC who polled 110,108 votes.
In distinct development, Diri on Wednesday said his administration will continue to give financial support to local governments in the state regardless of the judgement of the Supreme Court that granted autonomy to the councils.
He explained that some of the councils in the state run into deficit after paying workers and teachers and that the government will continue to augment their funds in order for them not to suffer.
He further stated that contrary to the impression that states were tampering with local government funds paid through the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC), the case of Bayelsa was different as the government instead augmented their funds.
