Just In: Supreme Court Takes Decision on Suit Seeking Sack of Diri as Bayelsa Governor

• The Supreme Court has delayed its judgment in the appeal brought against Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state
• The appeal filed by Timipre Sylva of the APC is challenging INEC's declaration of Diri of the PDP, as the winner of the Bayelsa state gubernatorial election held in 2023
• But on Monday, the apex court panel led by Justice Garba Lawal deferred judgment to a date to be communicated to parties involved in the litigation

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

A five-man panel of the Supreme Court on Monday, August 19, reserved judgement in the Bayelsa state governorship election appeal filed by Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sylva had challenged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)'s declaration on the outcome of the 2023 governorship elections in the state.

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However, in a ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court said it reserved judgment in the appeal case and disclosed that a new date for the verdict would be communicated to parties involved in the litigation, Channels TV reported.

Sylva challenges Diri's election victory

Legit.ng recalled that on July 18, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed Sylva and the APC's appeal for lack of merit and supported the tribunal's decision affirming Governor Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his deputy's election.

Additionally, the court imposed a cost of N500,000 on each respondent in Sylva and the APC's appeal.

Sylva and the APC headed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the judgment of the Bayelsa state governorship election petition tribunal.

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However, they lost at the tribunal and at the appeal court, The Cable reported.

Supreme Court reserves judgement on Kogi election

In another related development, Legit.ng reported that a five-man panel of the Supreme Court reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Murtala Ajaka and the SDP, challenging the election victory of Usman Ododo.

Ajaka had appealed the judgment of a three-member tribunal that affirmed the election of Ahmed Usman Ododo of APC as governor of Kogi.

However, after the Appeal Court judgment in June, Ajaka alleged that the judgement was influenced by some irregularities and manipulations.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng