Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Monday in Abuja began sitting over eight petitions challenging the election of Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Senator Douye Diri the governorship candidate of PDP with 175,196 votes winner of the election held on November 11, 2023 .
However, eight political parties and their Governorship candidates among the 15 registered political parties that took part in the election have filed petitions challenging the conduct and declaration of result.
They are Kalango Stanley of African Action Congress, AAC, Eng. Udengomobofa Eradiri of Labour Party ,LP, Action Peoples Party,APP, Sylva Timipre Marlin, African Democratic Congress, ADC, Social Democratic Party, SDP and Micah Akeems of National Rescue Movement, NRM.
The chairman of tribunal , Justice A. A. Adeleye in his remark at the opening session reminded the parties that the hearing of the petition is time bound . He urged the counsel to cooperate and avoid unnecessary and frivolous applications .