Eyebrows were raised in several quarters Monday morning as reports emerged that the Bayelsa Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja had annulled the election of Gov. Duoye Diri of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The battle for the political soul of Bayelsa had hitherto been between PDP and APC with the PDP clinching the gubernatorial diadem after the APC victory was earlier annulled following the disqualification of the APC candidate’s running mate at the eleventh hour.
Newsdiaryonline reports that the Bayelsa story took a fresh twist Monday as many became aware that it was this time the the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) which approached the tribunal, seeking the cancellation of the election because it was not included in the election which 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 Aug. 15, the tribunal, upheld the election of Gov. 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 certificate 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 held on Nov. 19, 2019. (With report by NAN)
