Tribunal Takes Fresh Decision On Bayelsa Governorship Election

The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has reserved its ruling on the petition challenging the outcome of the 2023 election in the state.

The tribunal took the decision on Monday after hearing from all parties involved in the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva.

Naija News recalls Sylva is challenging the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election, Duoye Diri as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking on Monday, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adekunle Adeleye, announced that the judgment would be delivered within the statutory period of 180 days, and all the parties in the petition would be communicated as soon as the judgment delivery date is fixed.

The tribunal chairman gave the verdict after the petitioners, on Monday, adopted their final written address, urging the tribunal to annul the declaration of Diri as the winner of the election.

Their lead counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), told the tribunal that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrongfully declared Diri as the winner of the election.

He, therefore, urged the tribunal to declare his candidate as the rightful winner of the election.

However, Diri’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), said the petition by Sylva and his lawyers is dead on arrival because it is grossly deficient in quantity and quality of evidence.

He urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition because it is baseless, frivolous, and grossly lacking in merit.

Similarly, INEC lawyer, Charles Edosomwan (SAN) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, canvassed for dismissal of the petition on the ground that the two petitioners failed and neglected to discharge the burden of establishing their allegations against the election beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.

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