BREAKING: Sylva, APC Lose as Supreme Court Confirms Diri Authentic Bayelsa Governor

• The Supreme Court on Friday struck out Timipre Sylva's suit and declared Douye Diri as the authentic governor of Bayelsa state
• A five-member panel of the Apex Court headed by Justice Lawal Garba, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed Sylva's appeal for lacking merit
• The unanimous decision of the apex court upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal

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

The Supreme Court affirmed the re-election victory of Duoye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Bayelsa State Governor on Friday, August 23.

Bayelsa guber: Supreme Court verdict on Friday

The five-member panel of the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision, dismissed the appeal of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, challenging the November 11, 2023 election, The Punch reported.

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Panic as SDP guber candidate stoned at Supreme Court after losing to APC, video trends

Channels TV reported that a five-member panel of the Apex Court headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba on Friday affirmed the Court of Appeal decision of July 15, which deemed Sylva’s appeal an abuse of the Court process for filing two notices of appeal.

Citing a section of the 1999 Constitution, the Supreme Court panel held that the APC governorship candidate has only one right to appeal the judgment of the Tribunal and not multiple appeals. The Court therefore faulted Sylva who filed two notices of appeal to the Appellate Court, The Nation reported.

Sylva vs Diri: Earlier judgement on Bayelsa guber

Legit.ng recalled that on Monday, August 19, the apex court reserved judgement in the Bayelsa state governorship election appeal filed by Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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BREAKING: Supreme Court gives final verdict on APC vs PDP tussle in Imo

This comes after the court 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 PDP and his deputy's election.

Sylva and the APC headed to the court to challenge the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)'s declaration on the outcome of the 2023 governorship elections in Bayelsa state.

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.

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BREAKING: Chaos as Supreme Court delivers verdict in Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa poll dispute, details emerge

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng