The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has affirmed the re-election of Governor Douye Diri.
The tribunal dismissed the petition filed by Timipre Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging Diri’s victory.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, delivered a unanimous verdict, stating that the petition lacked merit.
The tribunal ruled that Sylva and the APC failed to substantiate the allegations against Diri’s re-election.
In its decision, the tribunal emphasized that the petitioners did not provide sufficient evidence to support their claims of electoral malpractice.
Justice Adeleye, delivering the lead judgment, noted that the burden of proof rested on the petitioners, who were unable to demonstrate that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with the law.
Timipre Sylva and the APC had alleged widespread irregularities and vote rigging in the November 2023 governorship election.
This ruling brings to a close the case at the tribunal level. It remains to be seen if Sylva and the APC will pursue the case at the Appeal Court.
