The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has validated the re-election of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.
The three-man panel led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye unanimously dismissed the petition brought by All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Timipre Sylva.
The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the Bayelsa state governorship poll.
It, therefore, struck out as incompetent, all the additional proof of evidence as well as statements on oath of some of the witnesses that testified for the petitioners.
According to the tribunal, the law expressly provided that an election petition must be filed not later than 21 days after the result of an election was declared.
It held that such petition must at the time it was filed, be accompanied with written statements of all the intended witnesses.
The tribunal held that the decision of Sylva and his party to file their additional proof of evidence and statement on oath of witnesses, long after they had filed the petition, was tantamount to a surreptitious attempt to amend the case of the petitioners.
The tribunal also dismissed the allegation that the deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, tendered forged University Degree Certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Exemption Certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification to contest the election.
