Despite the Supreme Court judgement that sacked the Bayelsa State Governor-elect, David Lyon and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Diri Duoye can not be inaugurated.
Duoye came second in the election with 143,172 votes to Lyon’s 352,552 votes and according to the stipulation of the Supreme, he is to be inaugurated on Friday as the validly elected Governor of Bayelsa.
But in his reaction, APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole said Duoye did not fulfill the requirements for the ruling that the next candidate with the highest votes should be issued a certificate of return and consequently sworn-in.
Oshiomhole said: “as far as we know, the next candidate, as the facts are before court, who happens to be a PDP candidate does not have one quarter of the total lawful vote cast in that election in 2/3 of the local government councils in Bayelsa state.
“Therefore from the fact available to us, in consultation with our lawyers, it is clear that there is no candidate that meet the requirements of the supreme court, which means no one can be sworn in legally tomorrow unless there is a delibrate abuse of the legal process.
On the party’s next move, the National Chairman said, “we have accordingly asked our lawyers to look at all the windows that exist in law, and take steps to ensure that the will of the people of Bayelsa state is not undermine on the alter of technicalities.
“Let me say that this, as bad as the case of Zamfara was, where after we have won the governoship election, the senatorial election, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly election, the court held that APC did not conduct primaries in Zamfara state and therefore did not participate in that election.
“This one is totally different, there is no doubt about the fact that proper elections were conducted. In fact , even the supreme court as so upheld, this is not another Zamfara case and therefore the essential ingredients are different and therefore the outcome and consequences cannot be the same.
“We want to assure not just APC members across the country, who are still in shock over this judgement, we want to assure the Nigerian people that we are a law abiding party, we still believe that the will of Bayelsa people will prevail and there is sufficient legal window to achieve it”.
James Kwen, Abuja
