Governor Douye Diri has requested that the Supreme Court reject the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress, or APC, against his election in the Bayelsa State gubernatorial contest.
Before the supreme court, Diri argued that Sylva’s appeal was hopelessly flawed because there was no evidence to back up his request from witnesses or papers.
Diri, through Chris Uche, SAN, argued during Monday’s sessions that the appeal was completely without merit and ought to be rejected.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), represented by Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Charles Edoshomwan, all backed the request to dismiss the appeal for lack of merit.
Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Sylva’s attorney, begged the supreme court to overturn the rulings of the Court of Appeal and the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition, which had previously denied his petition.
Sylva expressly requested that the Supreme Court proclaim Diri the legitimate winner of the election and nullify INEC’s declaration of him as the victor of the governor’s race.
The panel of the supreme court, presided over by Justice Garba Lawal, heard arguments from the attorneys involved and decided to postpone making a decision until a later date that would be announced to the parties.
