Breaking: Court Of Appeal Gives Final Ruling On Diri’s Candidacy As Bayelsa State Governor

The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, the Imo state capital has affirmed the candidacy of Douye Diri as the winner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary election in Bayelsa State.

The appellate court by its action on Tuesday has dismissed an appeal filed by Ndutimi Alaibe which challenged the emergence of Diri as the Bayelsa State 2019 governorship candidate of the PDP.

It will be recalled that Alaibe had approached the court federal high court in Owerri to challenge the outcome of the September 3 PDP primary election which produced Diri in a suit against the party, Diri, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the federal high court in Owerri.

The case was however dismissed by the high court judge, Tijjani Ringim, on March 10 for lack of merit, prompting Alaibe to head to the appeal court.

The Appellate Court on Tuesday affirmed the judgment of the lower court, by dismissing the suit for lack of merit.

Naija News recalls Diri was on February 13, 2020 pronounced as Bayelsa state governor after the Supreme Court sacked David Lyon of the APC less than 24 hours before his inauguration as governor of the state.

The apex court ruled that Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, Lyon’s running mate, submitted forged credentials with multiple names to INEC.