Tribunal Nullifies Duoye Diri’s Governorship Election

By Chinenye Festus:-
The Bayelsa Governorship Electoral Tribunal has nullified the election of governor Duoye Diri and ordered for fresh election to be conducted.
The verdict came as a result of the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) challenging the victory of Governor Diri in the November 19 governorship election.
The Party, ANDP claimed that their party was unlawfully excluded from the election which made the Tribunal to order INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90days and to also include the ANDP in the Election.
Justice Yanusa Musa who delivered the verdict was notified by ANPP, that’s its initial deputy governorship candidate David Esinkuma was duly substituted by the Party within the allowed time frame, following the notification from INEC that he’s under-age.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on its part said that the party’s Deputy Governorship candidate was 34 years old as at the time of nomination and therefore did not qualify to contest the election.
Justice Musa while delivering his judgment maintained that only a court has the power to disqualify any candidate for any election and that the petition was filed within the 21 days which is the stipulated time for petitions to be filed. He describes the action of INEC to exclude the ANDP from the Bayelsa Governorship Election as an illegality.
He further stated that INEC has no prerequisite to disqualify any candidate from participating in an election while insisting that the petition of the ANDP stands.