Baron Ike
Nigeria’ apex court, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 8 in Abuja ruled that Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State remains the validly elected Governor, throwing out the appeal brought before it by the former governor and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva.
Dickson was the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship election that became controversial and in some places, riotous.
Dickson had earlier been upheld governor by the Election Appeal Tribunal as well as the Court of Appeal, but Sylva would not take any of their decisions, and headed for the Supreme Court to seek its authority to throw away the ruling of the lower courts and declare him winner.
But the seven-man panel of Justices on Tuesday only reaffirmed that the judgements of the Election Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal in respect of the election complaint were in order, thereby putting paid to the controversy that had trailed the Bayelsa State governorship poll.
Flowing the apex court’s ruling, Yenegoa, the capital of Bayelsa went agog as PDP members and supporters of the governor took to the streets and government house to rejoice with Dickson.
Party officials described the ruling as victory to the people, and enjoined Sylva to join hands with Dickson to sustain the development efforts he started in the past six years.