The Supreme Court on Wednesday reaffirmed its position sacking the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Bayelsa governorship election, David Lyon, as the governor of the state.
This is as it dismissed the application of the APC calling for a reversal of the judgement earlier made by the Supreme Court to that effect.
The court ruled that the step taken by the party was an abuse of the court process.
It would be recalled that the apex court sacked Lyon as the governor of Bayelsa State following the verdict that Lyon’s running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, allegedly falsified the documents he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The Supreme Court in its verdict upheld the position of the Federal High Court which had ruled against Lyon’s running mate’s qualification for the election.
With the verdict, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the election, Douye Diri, was sworn in as the governor of Bayelsa State.
Last week, the APC’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun and Lateef Fagbemi, filed the application for a review of the verdict.
The party argued that the judgement of the trial court which found the running mate guilty of falsification did not grant the prayer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that sought for the nullification of the election of Lyon.
The party stated: “After reinstating the judgment of the trial court in the judgement of this honouroble court of the 13th February, 2020, in SC.1/2020 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) & 2 Ors. v. Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo & 3 ors., this honourable court proceeded to disqualify the governorship candidate of the applicant (Lyon David Pereworimin) despite the fact that the trial High Court refused to grant the reliefs for his disqualification and there was no appeal against same.”
It argued further: “In this honourable court’s judgment of 13th February, 2020, the court erroneously and inadvertently stated that the trial High Court consequentially disqualified the applicant‘s governorship candidate even though the trial court made no such order and when the trial court indeed refused to grant the express orders sought by the plaintiffs therein for his disqualification.”
The party also said in the review, the court should set aside the order which directed INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return already issued to Lyon.
