Moves by the candidate of the APC during the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, to truncate hearing of the petition he filed against the election of Senator Douye Diri as the duly elected governor, has suffered a setback.
Sylva had written to the President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, requesting that the tribunal be disbanded and a new panel set up to hear his petition afresh.
The APC candidate, who is challenging the victory of Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 11, 2023 governorship poll, claimed the tribunal did not give him enough time after calling 52 witnesses and closing his case last week Wednesday.
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The tribunal had to adjourn sitting indefinitely on Monday, March 4 in order for the Appeal Court president to decide on the petition.
But a hearing notice dated March 6, 2024 directed the tribunal to continue the matter under the same panel, an indication that Sylva’s petition had been thrown into the Atlantic Ocean.
The hearing notice, which was signed by Secretary of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, stated in the petition No. EPT/BY/GOV/04/2023 between Sylva vs the Independent National Electoral Commission, Governor Diri, Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and the PDP, that the matter will resume at the tribunal on Monday, March 11, 2024.
It stated: “Take notice that the above election petition will be heard on 11th day of March 2024 and on such other days as the Court of Appeal may determine.”
