A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Adzira Mshella has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Douye Diri challenging the nullification of his election as the Governor of Bayelsa state.
At the hearing of the appeal in Abuja, lawyer to Governor Diri, while urging the court to overturn the verdict of the Bayelsa state governorship election petition tribunal, argued that the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) fielded an under-age candidate who was not qualified to stand for the election.
Lawyer to the ANDP however insists that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unlawfully excluded its candidate from the governorship election and urged the court to affirm the decision of the tribunal nullifying the election of governor Diri.
The court also reserved judgment in the appeals filed by the INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Bayelsa State Governorship Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja had on August 17 nullified the election of Governor Diri over INEC’s exclusion of the candidate of the ANDP.
The court ordered the commission to conduct a fresh election within 90 days. (Channels TV)