By Ikechukwu Nnochiri – Abuja

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Monday, fixed September 23 to hear the appeal Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State filed to challenge the tribunal judgement that sacked him from office and ordered the Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election in the state within 90 days. The appellate court okayed the appeal for hearing on a day it struck out an application that factional leaders of the Advanced Nigerian Democratic Party, ANDP, brought to be joined as interested parties in the matter.

It will be recalled that the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had in a majority judgement by two out of the three-man panel of Justices, on August 17, voided the outcome of the gubernatorial election that held in the state on November 16, 2019, over the exclusion of ANDP in the contest. Two members of the panel, Justices Sikiru Owodunni and Yunusa Musa, said they found merit in ANDP’s contention that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the governorship election by INEC, despite the fact that it fulfilled all the statutory requirements. Justice Musa who read the lead judgement held that the tribunal was satisfied that INEC illegally excluded ANDP and its governorship candidate, King George, from the election. However, in a dissenting judgement, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, affirmed governor Diri’s election after he dismissed the petition for being statute-barred.

Justice Sirajo said there was evidence that ANDP was disqualified from the election for fielding an ineligible candidate. He noted that the party nominated an underaged deputy governorship candidate, who admitted that he was 34 years old, instead of the 35 years age bracket the Constitution stipulated. Meanwhile, shortly after the judgement, a faction of the ANDP, disowned the petition that led to the judgement that sacked governor Diri. Factional leaders of the party, led by their Chairman, Hon. James Pere Femowei and National Secretary, Hon. Quadri-Adu Kehinde, insisted that the petition was unilaterally filed against Diri by its expelled former National Chairman, Chief Charles Ogboli. Consequently, the faction, approached the appellate court to be joined in the case to enable them to establish that the substantive petition was incompetent. When the matter came up on Monday, the Applicants, through their lawyer, Mr Dominic Anyiador, urged the appellate court to admit them in the case, claiming that they are the authentic leaders of the ANDP.

The Applicants told the court that they were unaware of the petition that was filed in the name of the party until the day the tribunal gave judgement against governor Diri.

They disclosed that the party did not conduct any primary election or fielded candidates for the governorship election, but rather adopted Diri and his deputy Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as their preferred candidates in the poll. They also claimed that Charles Ogboli, who identified himself as the National Chairman of the party in the petition, was expelled from the party in 2018. Their application was opposed by counsel to the Ogboli-led faction of the ANDP, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, who maintained that they could not be joined as interested parties at the Court of Appeal since they were not part of the case at the tribunal. Besides, Ogunwumiju, SAN, noted that issues the Applicants raised before the court bordered on domestic affair of a political party which the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain. In a short ruling, a three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court led by Justice Stephen Adah, dismissed the joinder application for want of merit. Justice Adah held that the application was “irrelevant, prejudicial and a waste of judicial time”. The appellate court therefore awarded a punitive cost of N200,000 against the Applicants, in favour of each of the Respondents in the matter. It slated September 23 to hear all pending motions in the appeal, as well as to consider an application by governor Diri’s lawyer, Mr Goddy Uche, SAN, for the consolidation of five separate appeals that arose from judgement of the tribunal. Governor Diri had in a 12-ground of Appeal he filed on August 18, urged the appellate court to set aside the majority judgement of the tribunal and uphold the minority decision that affirmed his election.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/bayelsa-guber-court-fixes-september-23-to-hear-diris-appeal-against-sack/

Leave the governor alone ooo

Just a waste of time

Xscape1993:
Leave the governor alone ooo

Leave which Governor alone?
who hold am?
How did he became the governor of Bayelsa state?

After he lost at the poll did he leave the Governor elect alone, he pursued his case till he won at the Apex court, so others should do same too if they want to.

mosdii:


Leave which Governor alone?
who hold am?
How did he became the governor of Bayelsa state?

After he lost at the poll did he leave the Governor elect alone, he pursued his case till he won at the Apex court, so others should do same too if they want to.

He is the governor of Bayelsa state. Nothing can stop that. Go to Imo and leave Bayelsa.

Le124:
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri – Abuja

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Monday, fixed September 23 to hear the appeal Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State filed to challenge the tribunal judgement that sacked him from office and ordered the Independence National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election in the state within 90 days. The appellate court okayed the appeal for hearing on a day it struck out an application that factional leaders of the Advanced Nigerian Democratic Party, ANDP, brought to be joined as interested parties in the matter.

It will be recalled that the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had in a majority judgement by two out of the three-man panel of Justices, on August 17, voided the outcome of the gubernatorial election that held in the state on November 16, 2019, over the exclusion of ANDP in the contest. Two members of the panel, Justices Sikiru Owodunni and Yunusa Musa, said they found merit in ANDP’s contention that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the governorship election by INEC, despite the fact that it fulfilled all the statutory requirements. Justice Musa who read the lead judgement held that the tribunal was satisfied that INEC illegally excluded ANDP and its governorship candidate, King George, from the election. However, in a dissenting judgement, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, affirmed governor Diri’s election after he dismissed the petition for being statute-barred.

Justice Sirajo said there was evidence that ANDP was disqualified from the election for fielding an ineligible candidate. He noted that the party nominated an underaged deputy governorship candidate, who admitted that he was 34 years old, instead of the 35 years age bracket the Constitution stipulated. Meanwhile, shortly after the judgement, a faction of the ANDP, disowned the petition that led to the judgement that sacked governor Diri. Factional leaders of the party, led by their Chairman, Hon. James Pere Femowei and National Secretary, Hon. Quadri-Adu Kehinde, insisted that the petition was unilaterally filed against Diri by its expelled former National Chairman, Chief Charles Ogboli. Consequently, the faction, approached the appellate court to be joined in the case to enable them to establish that the substantive petition was incompetent. When the matter came up on Monday, the Applicants, through their lawyer, Mr Dominic Anyiador, urged the appellate court to admit them in the case, claiming that they are the authentic leaders of the ANDP.

The Applicants told the court that they were unaware of the petition that was filed in the name of the party until the day the tribunal gave judgement against governor Diri.

They disclosed that the party did not conduct any primary election or fielded candidates for the governorship election, but rather adopted Diri and his deputy Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as their preferred candidates in the poll. They also claimed that Charles Ogboli, who identified himself as the National Chairman of the party in the petition, was expelled from the party in 2018. Their application was opposed by counsel to the Ogboli-led faction of the ANDP, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, who maintained that they could not be joined as interested parties at the Court of Appeal since they were not part of the case at the tribunal. Besides, Ogunwumiju, SAN, noted that issues the Applicants raised before the court bordered on domestic affair of a political party which the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain. In a short ruling, a three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court led by Justice Stephen Adah, dismissed the joinder application for want of merit. Justice Adah held that the application was “irrelevant, prejudicial and a waste of judicial time”. The appellate court therefore awarded a punitive cost of N200,000 against the Applicants, in favour of each of the Respondents in the matter. It slated September 23 to hear all pending motions in the appeal, as well as to consider an application by governor Diri’s lawyer, Mr Goddy Uche, SAN, for the consolidation of five separate appeals that arose from judgement of the tribunal. Governor Diri had in a 12-ground of Appeal he filed on August 18, urged the appellate court to set aside the majority judgement of the tribunal and uphold the minority decision that affirmed his election.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/bayelsa-guber-court-fixes-september-23-to-hear-diris-appeal-against-sack/

God forbid nah Diri be Our Governor
Even God don sign am.

Xscape1993:
He is the governor of Bayelsa state. Nothing can stop that. Go to Imo and leave Bayelsa.

Leave Bayelsa for who?

mosdii:


Leave which Governor alone?
who hold am?
How did he became the governor of Bayelsa state?

After he lost at the poll did he leave the Governor elect alone, he pursued his case till he won at the Apex court, so others should do same too if they want to.

mosdii I don't wish to join issues with you at this point in time but let me remind you APC did not win any election in Bayelsa State. This assertion would be proven to you and likes during the Senatorial Election. Stop living in the past.

OBUKSBAYELSA:


mosdii I don't wish to join issues with you at this point in time but let me remind you APC did not win any election in Bayelsa State. This assertion would be proven to you and likes during the Senatorial Election. Stop living in the past.

You were the one that won Election in Bayelsa state nau.
INEC declared you the winner.
If APC did not win the election, why is PDP scared of a fresh Election?

If you are a Bayelsan or residing in Bayelsa state, you won't say this fallacy.

For those who are political masturbators, who believe that Bayelsa State would be handed over to CULTIST who neither have the intellectual capacity or capabilities to lead the State, I say to you THINK AGAIN, God has a different PLAN. Senator Douye Diri remains Governor of Bayelsa State.

mosdii:


You were the one that won Election in Bayelsa state nau.
INEC declared you the winner.
If APC did not win the election, why is PDP scared of a fresh Election?

If you are a Bayelsan or residing in Bayelsa state, you won't say this fallacy.

If God says the chair is yours it is yours.
so no need to do fresh election.

Ayebagbalinyo365:
If God says the chair is yours it is yours. so no need to do fresh election.

You are now calling God, oh I thought the Government is a miracle Government. Let the same miracle that brought the Government, win cases for the government.
8 months and nothing to show for it.

OBUKSBAYELSA:
For those who are political masturbators, who believe that Bayelsa State would be handed over to CULTIST who neither have the intellectual capacity or capabilities to lead the State, I say to you THINK AGAIN, God has a different PLAN. Senator Douye Diri remains Governor of Bayelsa State.

You are quick to call on God because he is slow to anger and vengeance and always give room for repentance when the immediate past Government suffered Bayelsans and underdeveloped the state for a whole 8 years.

Who is a cultist in the first place that doesn't have the intellectual capacity to govern Bayelsa state?

8 months in office and the Government has nothing to show for it.
A government that doesn't enjoy the support of the people is bound to fail.

mosdii:



You are quick to call on God because he is slow to anger and vengeance and always give room for repentance when the immediate past Government suffered Bayelsans and underdeveloped the state for a whole 8 years.

Who is a cultist in the first place that doesn't have the intellectual capacity to govern Bayelsa state?

8 months in office and the Government has nothing to show for it.
A government that doesn't enjoy the support of the people is bound to fail.

mosdii I will not respond to you until after the October 31st Senatorial Election by that time, the Supreme Court would have finally endorse His Excellency Senator Douye Diri as Governor of Bayelsa State and your initial Gra-Gra go don come down, at that point we will know owns the people's mandate.

mosdii:


You were the one that won Election in Bayelsa state nau.
INEC declared you the winner.
If APC did not win the election, why is PDP scared of a fresh Election?

If you are a Bayelsan or residing in Bayelsa state, you won't say this fallacy.

infantile reasoning.

mosdii:


You were the one that won Election in Bayelsa state nau.
INEC declared you the winner.
If APC did not win the election, why is PDP scared of a fresh Election?

If you are a Bayelsan or residing in Bayelsa state, you won't say this fallacy.

The anger and bitterness in your post is overwhelming, please Bros change your style.

OBUKSBAYELSA:


mosdii I will not respond to you until after the October 31st Senatorial Election by that time, the Supreme Court would have finally endorse His Excellency Senator Douye Diri as Governor of Bayelsa State and your initial Gra-Gra go don come down, at that point we will know owns the people's mandate.

Which people's mandate?
Was this Government mandated by the people or supreme court?


October 31 is not far again.

OBUKSBAYELSA:


The anger and bitterness in your post is overwhelming, please Bros change your style.

Bittered and Angered about what exactly?
You can tell that to the birds not to a bonafide and well grounded Bayelsan like me.

OBUKSBAYELSA:

infantile reasoning.

No point to prove again.

mosdii:


You are now calling God, oh I thought the Government is a miracle Government.
Let the same miracle that brought the Government, win cases for the government.

8 months and nothing to show for it.

Am not too good at political matters but this one, I have come to understood that the Chair is not meant for the APC it was meant for Diri.
Can't you see how things changed within one day?
it show that people out of anger were against PDP because of Dickson Administration.
But Believe me this is Diri with a good plan for the State at Large.

mosdii:


You are now calling God, oh I thought the Government is a miracle Government.
Let the same miracle that brought the Government, win cases for the government.

8 months and nothing to show for it.

I can assure you that Diri will remain the Governor of my beloved Bayelsa State.
Do you know where many people made the mistake?
They were voting Political parties,supporting Political parties.
I Voted Diri not PDP,I supported Diri not PDP, Because Diri for me has the good leadership qualities that Bayelsa State needed.
All Political Parties are good but majority of the people inside the political parties are bad.
But Diri is one of the Good people I see in PDP.
Thanks.

mosdii:


Leave Bayelsa for who?

For the state governor