The Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Friday, upheld the re-election of Senator Douye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa State, a decision that has significant implications for the political landscape in the region. In its ruling, the apex court dismissed the appeal presented before it by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, along with his political party. This judgment reinforces the legitimacy of Diri’s continuing tenure as governor, allowing him to proceed with his administration without the cloud of electoral dispute hanging over him.
The lead judgment was delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, who stated emphatically that the appeal brought forth by Sylva and the APC was not only devoid of merit but also constituted a gross abuse of the court process. Such a strong condemnation of the appeal highlights the court’s resolve to maintain the integrity of the electoral process by discouraging frivolous legal challenges that could undermine the democratic outcomes decided by the electorate.
The unanimous decision reached by the apex court firmly upheld the earlier rulings made by both the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal, thereby reinforcing the legal foundations of Governor Diri’s electoral victory. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Court of Appeal, located in Abuja, had already affirmed Diri’s re-election success from the governorship poll held on November 11, 2023, on July 18 of the same year.
A three-member panel of justices, which was led by Justice James Abundaga, also delivered its judgment unanimously. The panel determined that the appeal lodged by the appellants Timipre Sylva and the All Progressives Congress (APC) lacked the necessary merit to proceed further in the court system. Their conclusion echoed the sentiments expressed in the previous legal proceedings, which sought to challenge the election results.
The panel of justices clarified that the election tribunal had not erred when it struck out multiple paragraphs of the petitioner’s reply regarding the governor’s election. It indicated that the tribunal followed proper procedure in decision-making concerning the legitimacy of the evidence brought before it. The reports from NAN noted that the election tribunal had dismissed the petition submitted by Sylva and the APC on May 27, effectively quashing any claims attempting to contest Diri’s re-election.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, unanimously dismissed the petition primarily on the grounds that it lacked merit. The tribunal’s ruling was significant as it highlighted the critical nature of credible evidence in election petitions. In its judgment, the tribunal stated that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient credible proof to substantiate their allegations concerning the outcome of the governorship election in Bayelsa State.
Additionally, the tribunal struck out all of the supplementary proof of evidence and signed statements on oath from several witnesses who had been called to testify in support of the petitioners, deeming them incompetent for the purposes of the legal challenge. This decisive action by the tribunal further underscored the requirement for strong, credible evidence to support claims made in election petitions, maintaining rigorous standards to ensure electoral integrity.
Relatedly, the tribunal emphasized that, under the law, any election petition must be filed no later than 21 days following the declaration of the election results, a statutory requirement meant to ensure timely resolution of electoral disputes. This stipulation is crucial in upholding the electoral process and ensuring that elections lead to smooth transitions of power without unnecessary delays or legal complications.
