Supreme Court Delivers Final Ruling On Dickson, PDP’s Appeal

Two appeals filed by former Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been struck out by the Supreme Court.

Naija News reports that Dickson and the PDP had appealed the January 7, 2021 verdict of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal.

The Appeal Court had ruled that the suit seeking to disqualify the former Bayelsa governor from contesting the last rerun senatorial election in Bayelsa State was not statute-barred.

The appellate court also ordered that the suit should be given an accelerated hearing by the Federal High Court.

Ruling on Tuesday, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Mary Odili, dismissed Dickosn and PDP’s appeals after their lawyers agreed to formally withdraw the appeals.

On Dickson’s appeal, the Supreme court agreed with Pius D. Pius, the lawyer to the first respondent, Owoupele Eneoriekumoh, that having earlier filed a notice of withdrawal, he could no longer take further steps except to withdraw the appeal.

Dickson had, at a point, applied to withdraw the appeal, but later filed a motion seeking to hear the appeal.