Supreme Court Confirms Senator Douye Diri as Bayelsa Governor, Rejects APC’s Appeal
The Supreme Court has confirmed Senator Douye Diri’s election as the Governor of Bayelsa State. In a decisive judgment delivered on Friday, the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by Timipre Sylva, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Garba Lawal, delivering the lead judgment, ruled that the appeal lacked merit and constituted a gross abuse of court process. The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision upholds the earlier rulings of both the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal.
On July 18, 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had affirmed the Tribunal’s decision, which upheld Diri’s re-election on November 11, 2023. The three-man appellate panel dismissed the appeal by Sylva and the APC, reinforcing that they failed to provide credible evidence to support their claims against the election outcome.
This ruling solidifies Senator Douye Diri’s position as the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State.