Reasons Why Bayelsa APC Should Close Case Against Diri’s Re-election

Reasons Why Bayelsa APC Should Close Case Against Diri’s Re-election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will next week close its case challenging the declaration of Governor Duoye Diri as winner of the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

At Thursday’s proceedings, the party alongside its gubernatorial candidate, chief Timipre Sylva, called additional witnesses to prove their claims that Diri did not win majority of votes cast at the election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Diri and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State, having won majority of the votes cast at the election.

According to the Returning Officer, Prof. Faruq Kuta, the PDP and Diri polled 175, 196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Timiprey Sylva of the APC, who scored 110, 108 votes.

Dissatisfied, Sylva and APC had approached the tribunal to challenge the declaration of Diri as winner of the November 11 governorship election. at the hearing on February 14, the petitioners had hinted that they will be calling at least 224 witnesses to prove their allegations against Diri’s re-election.

However, the petitioners on Thursday, after calling four witnesses, sought for an adjournment to enable them call more witnesses to prove their case. since the request for adjournment was not opposed by the respondents, the chairman of the three-member panel of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Adekunle Adeleye, announced Monday and Tuesday next week for continuation of trial.