On Monday, August 19, 2024, the Supreme Court reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate in the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa.
Headed by Justice Garba Lawal, the five-member justices adjourned the judgment to a date that would be communicated to parties after counsel adopted their processes in the appeal.
Onyechi Ikpeazu, the counsel to Sylva had asked the court to set aside the judgments of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal which had earlier dismissed their petition.
According to Ikpeazu, the court must invalidate the declaration of Douye Diri of Bayelsa by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the governorship election.
Ikpeazu in his prayer asked the court to declare his client, Sylva as the lawful winner of the election.
However, Chris Uche, who represented Diri, urged the court to dismiss the appeal brought against the governor.
Uche in his submission described Sylva’s appeal as one that is “terribly bad beyond redemption”.
He stated that no witness or documents supported Sylva’s request being made before the court.
Uche also maintained that the appeal was devoid of merit and should be dismissed in its entirety.
Also, in their submission, representatives of IINEC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Charles Edoshomwan and Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, supported Uche’s call for the dismissal of the appeal for want of merit.
Following the end of the submissions, the justices reserved judgment in the appeal for a date which would be communicated to the parties.
