In a judgement read by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta dismissing six appeals, a seven-man panel of the Nigerian Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed Douye Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as the duly elected governor, deputy governor of Bayelsa State.
Justice Ngwuta, in his judgement, predicated the dismissal of the appeals on the withdrawal of the six appeals by lawyers of the appellants.
According to Channels Television, the appeals dismissed were filed by the Alliance for Democracy, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party and Labour Movement. The appeal filed by Accord Party against Diri and Ewhrudjakpo was also dismissed.
Recall that Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party came second in the last year’s governorship election in the state. He was later declared the elected governor of the state in a subsequent Supreme Court judgment disqualifying the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, David Lyon and his deputy who earlier emerged as the winner of the poll.
Diri’s victory has been challenged a number of times but the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja had at different times also affirmed him as the duly elected governor of the state.