The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, challenging the judgment of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. The Tribunal had previously upheld the election of Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Eruwjadkpo, on May 17, 2024.
Justice James Abundaga, delivering the lead judgment, affirmed Diri and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winners of the November 11, 2023 election. The court also ordered APC and Sylva to pay N500,000 in costs to the respondents.
The appellate court ruled that the appellants failed to provide credible evidence that the election took place in 184 polling units in Nembe, Ogbia, and Southern Ijaw. The court noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not conduct elections in these disputed areas, making vote collation impossible.
