A seven-man panel of the Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress’ candidate in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva.
The panel led by Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Tuesday unanimously affirmed the election of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson, who was returned as the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The apex court delivered the judgment after a marathon hearing of various cases filed with respect to the dispute over the last year’s governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had earlier dismissed the petition filed by Sylva to challenge the outcome of the election.
He further appealed to the Court of Appeal in Abuja which also dismissed his case.
Sylva went further to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the appeal court.
Also on Tuesday, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who is also a member of the Supreme Court panel, dismissed a cross-appeal filed by Dickson challenging some aspects of the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the dispute over the Bayelsa State election.
Other members of the panel also agreed with Justice Kekere-Ekun.
However the apex court after a summary of the lead judgment, Justice Muhammad promised to give reasons for his decision on 18th November.