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JUST IN: Tribunal dismisses APC’s petition, affirms Diri as Bayelsa governor
The Bayelsa governorship election petition tribunal has affirmed the re-election of Douye Diri as governor of the state.
A three-member tribunal led by Adekunle Adeleye, dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate Timipre Sylva, for lacking in merit.
In its unanimous decision on Monday, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the Bayelsa poll.
The tribunal struck out all the additional evidence as well as statements on oath of some of the petitioners’ witnesses for being incompetent.
The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to file their additional proof of evidence within the 21 days allowed by law.
The tribunal held that the decision by Sylva and his party to file their additional proof of evidence and statement on oath of witnesses, long after they had filed the petition, was “tantamount to a surreptitious attempt to amend the case of the petitioners”.
‘CERTIFICATE FORGERY’
The tribunal dismissed the allegation that Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Bayelsa deputy governor, tendered a forged university degree and NYSC exemption certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It held that the allegation was a pre-election matter that ought to be litigated before the federal high court.
The court held that the matter had become statute barred since the petitioners failed to challenge the genuineness of the certificates 14 days after it was submitted to INEC.
The tribunal also noted that the issue of Ewhrudjakpo’s educational qualification has been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The tribunal said it took judicial notice of the fact that Ewhrudjakpo is a legal practitioner and was qualified to contest the election.
CONTRADICTORY PRAYERS
The tribunal also ruled that the petitioners sought contradictory reliefs by asking the court to declare them winners of the poll while also asking the court to nullify the same election.
It held that Sylva and APC did not tender any electoral material to show that the poll was marred by irregularities.
It held that the petitioners were unable to discharge the burden of proof that was placed on them by law.
The tribunal held that it found no reason to set aside the result of the election announced by INEC.
“The result declared by INEC enjoys presumption of regularity and a party desirous to challenge the result must do so with convincing and credible evidence,” the tribunal ruled.
“None presentation of BVAS machines and voters register used for accreditation in the election proved fatal to the case of the petitioners.
“I hold that the onus of proof of positive assertion that valid election took place in the disputed 184 polling units in 57 wards, rests on the petitioners.
“I also hold that the margin of lead principle is not applicable in this case as the petitioners made contradictory prayers.
“The petitioners, having failed to establish all the pleaded facts, I hold that this petition failed on all the three grounds that it was predicated upon.
“I hereby dismiss the petition as lacking in merit. Parties are to bear their respective costs.”
News
Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
Photo: Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi
The traditional ruler of the Badagry local government area in Lagos State, the Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi, is dead, aged 89.
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
According to the palace, the Akran was pronounced dead by medical experts, after a brief illness, and the traditional rites for his burial have gradually commenced.
Residents of Badagry, who are currently mourning the loss of their revered monarch, described his death as a heavy blow, noting that the town has lost not just a king but a father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.
News
Osun sues UBA, officials to court over illegal LG accounts
They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories…
• Map of Osun State
The Osun State Government has instituted a criminal case against United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) and four of its top officials over alleged illegal opening of local government accounts.
Tribune newspaper reported that the Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has fixed January 30 for the hearing of the case, marked Charge No: MOS/601c/2025.
The defendants in the suit are: the UBA Plc, its Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba, the Company Secretary and Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum and the Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke.
In the charge sheet, the government filed the 31-count charge against the bank and its officials, with each count relating to alleged infractions involving opening of bank accounts for the state’s 30 local government councils.
In count one, the prosecution alleged that the defendants, on or about December 9, 2025, and on subsequent days, at UBA’S Osun State branch office located in the Olonkoro area of Osogbo, conspired to commit a felony by opening, operating and maintaining what it described as illegal Osun State Local Government Council accounts.
The alleged offence, the charge stated, occurred within the Osogbo Magisterial District and is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories” after the Local Government Service Commission had introduced to the defendants, Directors of Administration and General Services and Directors of Finance of all the local governments as signatories to the councils’ statutory accounts “and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 2 and 3 (1) and (2), and punishable under Section 5(1) and (2) of Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025.”
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Umahi: We’re not tolling Third Mainland Bridge
Umahi affirmed this during inauguration of the N40 billion Closed Circuit Television Camera Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, the previous day.
• Third Mainland Bridge
The Minister of Works Senator Dave Umahi has confirmed that the Federal Government has no plan to toll the rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Umahi affirmed this during inauguration of the N40 billion Closed Circuit Television Camera Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, the previous day.
He said : “We will not engage construction on this bridge because it will entail static load on the bridge.
“It is also within the town, so it will introduce many bottlenecks; that is why we are not tolling this bridge,” he said.
Umahi said that security would be handled by the police, noting that the 11-kilometre bridge would have a five-minute response time.
Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89
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