The Supreme Court will on Monday, August 19, hear an appeal filed by former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Marlyn Sylva, challenging the judgment of the Court of Appeal which affirmed the election of Governor Douye Diri, as the duly elected governor of Bayelsa State.
The Appeal Court, in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of justices on July 18, 2024, dismissed Sylva's appeal for being incompetent and constituting an abuse of the court process.
The Appellate court agreed with the May 27, 2024 judgment of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which declined to nullify the November 11, 2023, gubernatorial poll that produced Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Sylva had approached the Appeal Court after expressing disappointment with the judgment of the Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led three members Tribunal, insisting that the results of the election in three Local Government Areas were wrongly excluded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The former governor who ruled the state from 2008 to 2012, was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the disputed election had claimed that if results from the three LGAs, which he described as his strongholds, were included, he would have won the election.
He argued that Diri did not secure the highest number of valid votes cast at the election and insisted that the election was invalid because of noncompliance with provisions of the Electoral Act as amended.
Sylva also argued that Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo were not qualified at the time the election was held and have approached the apex court to invalidate the outcome of the governorship poll, having been dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeal Court.
Recall that INEC had declared Diri the winner with a total of 175, 196 votes to defeat Sylva, his closest rival, who garnered 110, 108 votes.
Confirming the hearing of the case at the Supreme Court, a member of the legal team of Diri said there was no cause for alarm, expressing conviction that the case would follow precedence.
The highest court in the country may reserve judgment tomorrow after the hearing of the appeal.
