Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Bayelsa State and former Minister of State for Petroleum, has disputed the Bayelsa Governorship Election Tribunal's decision to uphold Douye Diri's election as governor.
Dissatisfied with the tribunal's decision, Sylva convened a closed-door meeting with the party's elders and stakeholders to consider the next step to be taken.
Following the meeting, he instructed his legal team to pursue justice in the Court of Appeal.
“We are not satisfied with the decision of the tribunal. But this is just a court of first instance and after meeting with the elders and critical stakeholders of our great party, the APC, we directed our legal team to seek justice for Bayelsa at the Supreme court.''
The gubernatorial candidate told the people of Bayelsa that the Court of Appeal will undoubtedly redress the injustice committed by the tribunal.
He said the liberation of Bayelsa was close and that justice was inevitable for the distressed people of the state, appealing to them to remain positive, law-abiding, and steadfast. Sylva accused the tribunal of prejudice throughout the hearing of the case, citing multiple irregularities noticed by his lawyers.
Despite filing an interlocutory appeal seeking the dissolution of the panel and the formation of a new one, the President of the Court of Appeal dismissed his plea.
A three-man panel led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye dismissed the case brought by the All Progressives Congress' candidate, Timipre Sylva, and the party for lacking merit.
In the unanimous decision, the tribunal found that the petitioners failed to provide convincing evidence to support any of the charges they made against Diri's re-election.
