The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Senator Douye Diri as Governor of Bayelsa State, dismissing the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva.
In a judgment delivered on Friday, Justice Garba Lawal, who led the panel, ruled that the appeal lacked merit and constituted a gross abuse of the court process. The decision was unanimous, reinforcing earlier judgments from the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had previously upheld Diri’s reelection on July 18, 2024, after dismissing Sylva and the APC’s challenge. Similarly, the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had rejected the petition on May 27, 2024, citing a lack of credible evidence to support the allegations against the November 11, 2023, governorship poll.
With this ruling, Senator Douye Diri’s position as the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State remains secure.
