Duoye Diri remains Bayelsa governor, Supreme court rules

Senator Duoye Diri has been affirmed by the Supreme Court as the Governor of Bayelsa State.

This was as the apex court dismissed the appeal of Timipre Sylva, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the November 11, 2023 off-cycle election.

A five-member panel of the Apex Court headed by Justice Lawal Garba, on Friday affirmed the Court of Appeal decision of July 15 which deemed Sylva’s appeal as an abuse of Court process for filing two notices of appeal.

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Citing a section of the 1999 Constitution, the Apex Court panel held that the APC Governorship candidate has only one right to appeal the judgment of the Tribunal and not multiple appeals.

The Court therefore faulted the APC Governorship candidate who filed two notices of appeal to the Appellate Court.

In a unanimous judgment the appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court for lacking merit.