National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has faulted the judgment of the Supreme Court nullifying the election of David Lyon as governor of Bayelsa.
The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue fresh certificates to the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election held on November 16, 2019.
Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Douye Diri, scored the next highest votes.
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja, Mr Oshiomhole said the apex court’s verdict lacked the fruit of justice.
He explained that by the judgment, no one would be sworn in as governor in Bayelsa on Friday, alleging that no other candidate has the constitutional spread to be sworn in as governor.
“Nobody has raised issues about whether or not David Lyon and his running mate won overwhelming majority in the said election. Issues of whether a chieftaincy title is part of a name or is not a name in our view couldn’t be a reason to dismiss the wishes of the great people of Bayelsa state who repose absolute confidence in the way in which they elected David Lyon and his running mate during the last governorship election,” he said.
“Let me also say that it is not a state secret, if as the supreme court has ruled, David Lyon cannot now be sworn in as the person who has the highest number of votes and the spread to be sworn in, it simply means from tomorrow there will be no government in Bayelsa state.
“But, as far as we know the next candidate, as the facts are before the 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. And, therefore from the fact available to us, in consultation with our lawyers, it is clear that there is no candidate that meets the requirements of the supreme court, which means no one can be sworn in legally tomorrow unless there is a deliberate abuse of the legal process.
“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 undermined on the altar of technicalities. I am not a lawyer and I don’t need to be one. When judges make judgment they are published and you can read and write. Even laymen like me can understand.”
Oshiomhole said Lyon won convincingly, saying a candidate who lost the election could not be imposed on the people of Bayelsa.
Oshiomhole also said the party’s lawyers were studying the judgement to take necessary legal action.
