Supreme Court dismisses APC’s request to review judgment on Bayelsa governorship

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the apex court to review its judgment that sacked the party’s candidate as the governor-elect of Bayelsa State.

The hope of David Lyon of still becoming the governor of Bayelsa State was totally dashed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

This followed the apex court sacking of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo’s appeal on Wednesday for lack of merit.

Lyon was declared winner of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

However, a recent ruling of the Supreme Court, just a day before Lyon was to be sworn in, sacked the APC candidate as the governor-elect of Bayelsa State.

The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to both men, and issue same to the candidate with the second highest number of votes, who met the constitutional requirements.

Lyon was sacked after the court found his deputy guilty of submitting fake certificate to contest for the election.

But not comfortable with the decision of the apex court, Lyon and his APC party led by Adams Oshiomhole, returned to the Supreme Court and prayed it to review the ruling that sacked Lyon.

But reading its judgment on the matter on Wednesday, Justice Amina Augie, said Lyon’s application lacked merit.

Insisting that the earlier decisions of the court are final for all ages, Justice Augie added that the applicants failed to point out errors in the ruling that sacked them.

“There must be an end to litigation even if we review this judgment, every disaffected litigant will bring similar applications and the finality of Supreme Court judgments will be lost,” she said.

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Further noting that the applications were frivolous and vexatious, she awarded the cost of N10 million against the applicants to be personally paid by their counsel.

She said that the APC and Mr Lyon lawyers were to each pay Governor Douye Diri, his deputy Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and the PDP the same N10 million.

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