The Court of Appeal Division in Abuja has overturned the judgement of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal which had nullified Governor Diri Douye’s election.
In a judgement on Frriday, a five-member panel of the Appeal Court held that the tribunal acted outside its jurisdiction by nullifying the election of Governor Diri.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Obande Festus, the court declared that the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party failed woefully to show that it had a valid candidate that was unlawfully excluded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court berated the tribunal for ignoring the fact that the petition of ANDP was statute-barred in addition to the fact that the party presented an unqualified candidate to INEC in the November 16, 2019 Governorship election in Bayelsa State.
