BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms Douye Diri’s re-election as Bayelsa Governor

The Supreme Court has upheld the re-election of Senator Douye Diri as the Governor of Bayelsa State, dismissing an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, and his party.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Garba Lawal, who led the judgment, stated that the appeal lacked merit and constituted a gross abuse of court processes.

This decision aligns with previous rulings by both the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal.

On July 18, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja confirmed Diri’s re-election, following his victory in the November 11, 2023, governorship election.

The three-member appellate panel, led by Justice James Abundaga, had ruled unanimously that Sylva’s appeal lacked merit.

Earlier, the Election Petition Tribunal had dismissed Sylva’s petition on May 27, citing insufficient credible evidence to support his allegations against the election results.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, also emphasized the legal requirement to file electoral petitions within 21 days of the election results being declared.