WorldStage Newsonline– The omission of Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) has led to the cancellation of Bayelsa Governorship Election won by Duoye Diri and his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the Peoples Democratic Party
ANDP had approached the tribunal, seeking the cancellation of the election because it was not included in the election which held on November 16, 2019.
Delivering judgment of tribunal sitting in Abuja on Monday, Justice Yunusa Musa, a judge, on behalf of the tribunal, chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo upheld the prayer of ANDP and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in Bayelsa within 90 days.
The tribunal had in a different judgement on Aug. 15 dismissed the first petition filed by the Alliance for Democracy, AD, and its candidate, Owei Woniwei, for want of merit and upheld the election of Gov. Diri and his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to by way of credible evidence, prove that the deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Ewhrudjakpo, tendered forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
In the lead judgment that was read by Justice S.M. Owoduni, the tribunal further held that the petitioners failed to also establish the allegation that Ewhrudjakpo falsified his age.
Describing the case as “unnecessary waste of time of the court”, the tribunal, upheld preliminary objections that Diri, Ewhrudjakpo and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lodged to challenge the competence of the petition.
The AD and its candidate had in their petition, alleged that Ewhrudjakpo altered the name on the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, certificate he presented to INEC for the purpose of the governorship election that held on Nov. 19, 2019.
