The Supreme Court has fined lawyers representing David Lyon and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the application for review of the apex court’s judgement on Bayelsa election.
Justice Amina Augie announced on Wednesday that the lawyers are to pay a fine of N30 million each.
Afe Babalola is Mr Lyon’s lawyer while Wole Olanipekun is APC’s lawyer.
With tears in her eyes, the justice regretted that “very senior” lawyers were responsible for filing the applications.
The court ruled that each of the lawyers must pay N10 million to each of the three respondents – the Peoples Democratic Party, Governor Duoye Diri, and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhruojakpo, bringing the total amount to be paid to N60 million.
She said the applications amounted to an invitation for the apex court to sit in appeal on its own judgement in violation of the Constitution.
A seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta described the applications filed by the APC and Lyon, as “vexatious, frivolous, and constituted a gross abuse of court process.”
