Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, has expressed satisfaction with
the supreme court judgement that sacked David Lyon as governor-elect of Bayelsa
state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had
declared Lyon winner of the November governorship election.
But on Thursday, a panel of judges led by Mary Odili ordered
INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Lyon, candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), and to re-issue another to the candidate with the
second-highest number of votes.
The decision of the apex court was in affirmation of the
verdict of a federal high court disqualifying Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo,
Lyon’s running mate, for submitting forged credentials to INEC.
The PDP and Douye Diri, its governorship candidate, had
filed a suit against Lyon, Degi-Eremienyo and INEC, seeking the
disqualification of the APC deputy governorship candidate.
They alleged Degi-Eremienyo gave false information in his CF
0001 form submitted to INEC.
The trial court judge had ruled in favour of the PDP but the
appeal court upturned the decision of the trial court and affirmed the
candidature of Lyon and Degi-Eremienyo.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, Diri and his party headed to
the supreme court.
The apex court set aside the ruling of the appellate court
and affirmed the verdict which nullified the candidature of Degi-Eremienyo.
Reacting via Twitter on Thursday, Atiku said he received the
news of the judgement with gladness.
He urged the people of Bayelsa to make peace and be united
in its mission to transform the state into a haven of prosperity.
He also urged the apex court to show consistency in its
judgement and find the resolve to always deliver just judgements “no matter
whose ox is gored”.
“I received the verdict of the Supreme Court, declaring the
candidate of the @OfficialPDPNig in the Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections,
Senator Douye Diri, as the duly elected Governor of the state, with gladness,”
Atiku tweeted.
“I call on all the people of Bayelsa to make peace with the
recent past and embrace the future together, united in the mission to transform
the state into a haven of peace and prosperity.
“Finally, I urge the Supreme Court to show consistency in
its judgments & find the resolve to always deliver just-judgments no matter
whose ox is gored. The people of Nigeria are behind the apex court in whatever
they do to free themselves from the dominance of dictatorial forces.”
I received the verdict of the Supreme Court, declaring the candidate of the @OfficialPDPNig in the Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections, Senator Douye Diri, as the duly elected Governor of the state, with gladness. pic.twitter.com/nxSBR3EfSI— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 13, 2020
I call on all the people of Bayelsa to make peace with the recent past and embrace the future together, united in the mission to transform the state into a haven of peace and prosperity.— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 13, 2020
Finally, I urge the Supreme Court to show consistency in its judgments & find the resolve to always deliver just-judgments no matter whose ox is gored. The people of Nigeria are behind the apex court in whatever they do to free themselves from the dominance of dictatorial forces.— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) February 13, 2020
Back in January when there was outrage over the replacement
of Emeka Ihedioha, a PDP governor, with Hope Uzodinma of APC, Atiku had asked
members of his party to accept the judgement on Imo.
“I can only say that since the Supreme Court is final, we
must accept its judgment, however unexpected and unpalatable it may be. The Rule
of law must guide our paths even if logic sheds light on a different path,” he
had said.
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