ABUJA – The Supreme Court has affirmed the re-election of Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri, confirming him as the validly elected governor of the state. This decision comes after the dismissal of an appeal by Timipre Sylva, the candidate from the All Progressives Congress (APC), who contested the outcome of the November 11, 2023, off-cycle election in Bayelsa.
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Lawal Garba, upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, which had previously dismissed Sylva’s appeal on July 18. The Court of Appeal ruled that Sylva’s appeal was an abuse of the court process due to the filing of two notices of appeal. This ruling effectively confirms Governor Diri’s victory in the election.