Emmanuel Adigwe
The Bayelsa state governorship election tribunal in Abuja has cancelled the election of Duoye Diri, governor of Bayelsa state.
The candidate of the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), Lucky King-George, had prayed for the tribunal to annul the election because he was not among the November 16, 2019 governorship poll.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it excluded ANDP from the elections because David Esinkuma (34-years old), the party’s previous deputy governorship candidate, did not meet the age requirement of 35 years to be eligible to contest the poll.
However, ANDP had stated that Esinkuma was duly substituted within the necessary time frame, following his disqualification by INEC, urging the tribunal to order for a fresh conduct of the poll.
While delivering judgment on the petition on Monday, the panel stated that the election was unlawful due to the exclusion of ANDP and its candidate.
Yunusa Musa, the judge who read the judgement, called for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in Bayelsa within 90 days.
It will be recalled that Diri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was sworn in as governor following the Supreme Court sacking of David Lyon as governor-elect 24 hours before his inauguration.
However, Governor Diri has stressed that he will appeal the judgement of the tribunal.
