Bayelsa judgment review: Supreme Court set for hearing Wednesday

 

The hearing of the All Progressives Congress’ application for a review of the February 13, 2020 judgment has been given a date by the Supreme Court.

The date for the hearing is Wednesday February 26, 2020.

The apex court few days ago overturned the APC’s victory in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The appeal ruled upon by the Supreme Court was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, its governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the party, Douye Diri, and his running mate, Lawrence Ewhruojakpo.

The ‘controversial’ judgment which was delivered a day to the inauguration of the party’s governorship candidate, David Lyon, and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo rattled the party hierarchy in Abuja.

While disqualifying Degi-Eremienyo’s candidacy, the five-man panel of the court ruled that the disqualification had rendered the joint ticket held by him and the governorship candidate a nullity.

Consequently, the APC, had through its lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on February 20, filed an application before the Supreme Court contending that the apex court gave a wrong interpretation to the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The said judgment was affirmed in the February 13, 2020 apex court’s verdict.

Olanipekun argued that the November 12, 2019 verdict of the Federal High Court affirmed by the apex court did not nullify the party’s ticket.

He contented further that the apex court denied his client fair hearing by disqualifying its governorship candidate even when the Federal High Court in Abuja refused to grant such order even though it was sought by the plaintiffs who originated the suit.

The party stated, “In this honourable court’s judgment of February 13, 2020, the court erroneously and inadvertently stated that the trial High Court consequentially disqualified the applicant‘s governorship candidate even though the trial court made no such order and when the trial court indeed refused to grant the express orders sought by the plaintiffs therein for his disqualification.”

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