Governor Douye Diri made the disclosure on Friday, when he received Kingdom and his team at the Government House, Yenagoa.

Recall that before his emergence as the winner, he was a 200-level student at the Federal University, Otuoke (FUO), in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa.

Diri said that the government would henceforth bear the responsibility of the 24-year-old talented singer’s education at the FUO, where he is a student and up to a master’s degree level if he so desired.

Diri advised youths of the state to put in their best in whatever they were doing to be successful in life.

The governor said: “In appreciation of the honour you have brought to the state, I hereby announce that you are on the scholarship of the Bayelsa State government.

“As you finish your first degree and if you so desire to proceed for a Masters degree, the scholarship would also cover your programme.

“You are also appointed as an ambassador of the youth of Bayelsa State.

“Let me use this opportunity to call on youths in the state to see Mr Kingdom Kroseide as a role model; as one who, out of hard work and the grace of God has brought honour to the state.

“I am sure that putting yourselves in legitimate careers, you would bring honour, not only to yourselves but also to your state and country,” he said.

While appreciating Kingdom for the honour done to the state, Diri advised him to strike a balance between his academics and his career.

He said that with proper education and the grace of God, he would excel in his chosen career even outside the shores of Nigeria.

He also advised Kingdom to continue to use his music to glorify God to move to greater heights.

The governor noted that Kingdom’s success story was that of all Nigerians.

He thanked the Nigerian Idol judges, the Nigerian Military School Old Boys Association and Nigerians for their different roles that led to the Bayelsa-born contestant emerging as winner.

He also urged the relevant ministries and agencies to put modalities in place to establish a music school that would harness the musical talents that abound in the state.

Earlier, Kingdom Kroseide, attributed his success to the grace of God and hard work.

He thanked the state government, people of Bayelsa and Nigerians for their support that enabled him to win the contest.

In separate remarks, representative of the Amananaowei of Angalabiri Federated Community, Chief Peres Peretu, and Kingdom’s manager, Felix Kroseide, thanked the state government and everyone that supported and voted for him to win.

Peretu specifically appreciated Diri’s leadership style of uniting and galvanising the support of the people to enable them to achieve great feats.

Source: NAN

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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.

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The application was filed at the Supreme Court by the counsels to the party, Wole Olanipekun and Lateef Fagbemi.

It would be recalled that Lyon was sacked by the apex court following the disqualification of his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.

Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo was found guilty of falsifying the credentials he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to contest the election.

The Supreme Court, in its verdict last week posited that Lyon was sacked because he ran on a joint ticket with Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.

But applying for a reversal of the sacking of Lyon, 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.

The verdict of the Supreme Court has since seen to the swearing in of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the election, Douye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa State.

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The declaration followed Thursday verdict of the Supreme Court which sacked David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress, APC, less than 24 hours before he could be inaugurated.

The chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement in Abuja on Friday.

His words:  “In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the commission met this morning and reviewed the result of the election in which 45 political parties contested.

“Without the votes scored by the All Progressives Congress, APC, whose candidates were deemed not to have participated in the election, the total number of lawful and valid votes cast in the election now stand at 146,999. Out of this figure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172.

”Similarly, the PDP has scored more than 25% of the lawful votes cast in all the eight local government areas of the state.

”Consequently, Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the PDP are hereby declared winners and returned elected and governor and deputy governor of Bayelsa.

”The commission is aware that the tenure of the incumbent governor of Bayelsa ends at midnight today, Friday, 14th February, 2020. Therefore, in fulfilment of Section 75 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), the certificates of return to the governor and deputy governor-elect will be presented to them immediately as ordered by the Supreme Court.”

Supreme Court sacked Lyon as his deputy Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, was said not to be qualified for the November 16, 2019 election that saw their emergence.

In the judgement delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, the Supreme Court upheld the Federal High Court’s decision which found the deputy governor-elect guilty of presenting false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The apex court therefore ordered that the Certificate of Return be withdrawn from the duo.

According to the court, it should be handed to the candidate with the second highest votes in the November 16, 2019 election.

The Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the election, Douye Diri, therefore became the governor-elect.

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