Douye Diri: I’ve instructed my lawyers to appeal tribunal ruling - Bayelsa governor
- Governor Diri of Bayelsa state has said he will appeal the tribunal ruling which nullified his election
- The governor said he has instructed his lawyers to file the necessary papers
- Diri said he has implicit confidence in the judiciary that he would triumph in the end
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The governor of Bayelsa state, Senator Douye Diri, has reacted to the ruling of the election petition tribunal which nullified his election.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the election of Governor Diri and that of his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo had been nullified by the Bayelsa governorship election petitions tribunal.
The verdict was delivered in Abuja by a three-member panel of justices presided by Justice Ibrahim Sirajo on Monday, August 17, following a petition filed by the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP).
Source: UGC
The election was nullified on the grounds that ANDP, being one of the registered political parties, was unlawfully excluded from participating in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.
The tribunal said it found merit in the petition and consequently nullified the election.
The Tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election in the state within 90 days.
However, in his reaction, Governor Diri said he will appeal the ruling, adding that he has instructed his lawyers to file the necessary papers, Nigerian Tribune reports.
In a press release by his acting chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor said he has implicit confidence in the judiciary that he would triumph in the end.
His words: “We trust in the judiciary and we are appealing the judgement. With God on our side, we will get justice.
“This is a court of the first instance and I have instructed our lawyers to file an appeal. We have a right to appeal even up to the Supreme Court.”
He urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his supporters not to panic and to continue to remain calm and law-abiding.
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In other news, President Muhammdu Buhari on Friday, August 14, elevated four judges from the north to the Supreme Court.
The judges are Justice Mohammed Garba (northwest), Justice Tijjani Abubakar (northeast), Justice Abdu Aboki (northwest) and Mohammed M. Saulawa (northwest).
Justice Garba was the chairman of the 2019 presidential election petition tribunal which upheld President Buhari’s second term election.
He was elevated from the appeal court. The four judges were promoted following the recommendation of the Nigerian Judiciary Council (NJC) after its meeting on Tuesday, August 11, and Wednesday 12.
Bayelsa: INEC presents PDP’s Douye Diri certificate of return | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
