The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Saturday dismissed the petition filed by the Alliance for Democracy and its candidate challenging the victory of Governor Duoye Diri in November 19, 2019 poll, OBSERVERS TIMES learnt
The three-man panel held that the petition by AD and Owei Woniwei lacked merit.
Justice S.M. Owoduni who read the lead judgment of the tribunal also held that the petitioners failed to prove the allegation that Diri’s deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, forged his declaration of age and National Youth Service Corps discharged certificate.
Diri, who came second in the last year’s governorship election in the state, was declared the elected governor of the state in a subsequent Supreme Court judgment disqualifying the All Progressives Congress’s candidate David Lyon who earlier emerged the winner of the poll.
There are still other petitions against Diri’s election which the tribunal is to rule on today.
Details later…