Election Tribunal : Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri Vowed to Appeal Monday's Judgment Nullifying His Victory At The Poll

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has said he would appeal Monday’s ruling of the state election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja and has consequently instructed his lawyers to file the necessary papers.

The tribunal, in a majority judgment delivered by Justice Yunusa Musa in the petition brought before it by the Advanced National Democratic Party (ANDP), held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unlawfully excluded the party from the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.

The Justice Musa-led tribunal therefore ordered INEC to conduct a fresh governorship election in Bayelsa State within 90 days.

Reacting to the ruling, Diri said he has implicit confidence in the judiciary that he would triumph in the end.

According to him, “We trust in the judiciary and we are appealing the judgement. With God on our side, we will get justice.

“This is a court of first instance and I have instructed our lawyers to file an appeal. We have a right of appeal even up to the Supreme Court.”

The governor, who spoke shortly after the ruling by the tribunal, urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his supporters not to panic and to continue to remain calm and law-abiding.

Meanwhile, the immediate past Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has urged Bayelsans not to be perturbed by the judgment of the gribunal which annulled the state governorship election on Monday.

He described the judgment as a temporary setback which does not in law affect the status quo until appeal processes are exhausted.

The former governor, in a statement by his Media Advisor, Fidelis Soriwei, said PDP and Bayelsa State Government would appeal the judgement.

He noted that there was no vacancy in Bayelsa State Government House as Diri remains governor until a final decision on the issue was reached at the Supreme Court.

Dickson urged Bayelsans to go about their lawful duties without any disturbance because of the judgement on the suit filed by ANDP against its purported exclusion in the election by INEC.

“I urge Bayelsans to remain calm. They shouldn’t misinterpret what took place at the tribunal today.

“The judgment is a temporary setback which does not have any effect on the status quo until all processes of appeal are exhausted.

“There is no vacancy in Bayelsa State Government House. Douye Diri remains Governor until the Supreme Court decides.

“Of course what this means is that the PDP will appeal this decision,” he said.