INEC Reacts To Nullification Of Duoye Diri’s Election As Bayelsa Governor, Reveals Next Action

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to the nullification of Douye Diri‘s election as the governor of Bayelsa State.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Petition Tribunal had sacked Governor Duoye Diri following a petition by the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) which argued that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election.

The tribunal said it found merit in the petition and consequently nullified the election and ordered INEC to conduct a bye-election in the state within 90 days.

Reacting to the nullification of the election, the INEC said it may respond to some of the issues raised by the tribunal when it is availed of the full judgment of the case.

The INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye, stated this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, August 17, in Abuja.

Okoye said that the ANDP nomination for the election was invalid while the party did not exercise its right guaranteed in the Fourth Alteration to the constitution by filing its suit within 14 days of the accrual of the said right.

He also said that ANDP was one of the political parties that signified its intention to contest the Nov. 16, 2019 Bayelsa governorship election.

According to him, the party conducted party primaries and submitted the name of one Peter David as its Deputy Governorship candidate.

“As at the time of the submission of the name of the said candidate, he was 34 years old, contrary to Section 177(b) of the constitution that makes it mandatory for a candidate for such office to attain the age of 35 years to be eligible to contest the election.

“In the candidate’s statutory declaration of age and affidavit attached to his form, the party stated that he was born on Feb. 10, 1985.

“On Sept. 13, 2019, the commission wrote to the party drawing their attention to the constitutional age requirement of 35 years for Governorship/Deputy Governorship candidates as stipulated in Section 177(b) of the constitution.

“The commission also informed them of the invalidity of their nomination for the Nov. 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

“On Sept. 27, 2019, the commission informed the party that the deadline for the submission of nominations as provided for in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the commission on May 16, 2019 was Sept. 9, 2019.

“The commission also informed the party that since they did not submit valid nomination, they couldn’t validly substitute any candidate. Consequently the name and logo of the party did not appear and was not reflected in the ballot paper.

“It is pertinent to note that the party did not exercise its right guaranteed in the Fourth Alteration to the constitution by filing its suit within 14 days of the accrual of the said right as the issues canvassed are pre-election issues.

“However, the commission may respond to some of the issues raised in the judgment of the tribunal when we are availed of the full judgement and the reasons for the judgement,” Okoye said.

Douye Diri’s nullification came two days after a three-member panel of the tribunal dismissed three petitions challenging his election as governor.