Duoye Diri files appeal against tribunal verdict sacking him as Bayelsa governor

Duoye Diri has filed an appeal against his sack as Bayelsa state governor.

The governor said the election tribunal erred in its judgement sacking him.

Diri wants the appeal court to uphold the minority judgement of the tribunal chairman.

Duoye Diri has reacted to his sack as the Bayelsa state governor by the electoral tribunal by filing an appeal against the controversial decision.

Legit.ng recalls that the election of the governor and that of his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, was nullified by the Bayelsa governorship election petitions tribunal on Monday, August 17.

The verdict was delivered in Abuja by a three-member panel of justices presided by Justice Ibrahim Sirajo following a petition filed by the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP).

The election was nullified on the grounds that the ANDP, being one of the registered political parties, was unlawfully excluded from participating in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.

Duoye Diri has filed an appeal against his sack as Bayelsa state governor. Credit: The Cable.
Source: UGC

The tribunal said it found merit in the petition and consequently nullified the election and also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election in the state within 90 days.

In a reaction, Governor Diri on Tuesday, August 18, said he has filed a notice of appeal containing 11 grounds.

Speaking through his counsel Chris Uche, the embattled governor said the tribunal erred in law when it held that ANDP’s petition was not statute-barred.

Governor Diri wants the appeal court “set aside the entire majority decision of the tribunal (per Hon. Justice Yunsa Musa and Hon. Justice S.M. Owodunni) appealed against and to dismiss the 1st respondent’s petition.”

The governor also wants the court to “uphold the minority judgment of the chairman of the Bayelsa state governorship election petition tribunal, Hon. Justice Muhammed I. Sirajo which clearly appreciated the law and correctly applied the same to the facts, and rightly dismissed the petition.”

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that barely eight hours after the Bayelsa state governorship election petition tribunal nullified the election of Governor Diri, INEC has reacted.

The INEC said it may respond to some of the issues raised by the tribunal when it is availed of the full judgment of the case.