Supreme court verdict: INEC releases Bayelsa results, declares Diri winner

Supreme court verdict: INEC releases Bayelsa results, declares Diri winner

Friday, February 14, 2020 1:13 pm


Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, 14 February, released the governorship results of Bayelsa  showing the new winning scores of the second runner up, Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Governor and Deputy Governor-elect of Bayelsa State, respectively. That was at a press conference today in Abuja.This is in obedience to the Supreme Court judjment that, on 13 February, got David Lyon of All Progressives Congress sacked. With this, INEC will present Certificates of Return immediately to Diri and Ewhrudjakpo.

In the words of the INEC boss: “ In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the Commission met this morning and reviewed the result of the election in which 45 political political parties contested. Without the votes scored by the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidates were deemed not to have participated in the election, the total number of lawful and valid votes cast in the election now stand at 146,999. Out of this figure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172. Similarly, the Party has scored more than 25% of the lawful votes cast in all the eight (8) Local Government Areas of the State.”

Below is Yakubu’s statement:

MEDIA BRIEFING BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROFESSOR MAHMOOD YAKUBU ON THE JUDGEMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT ON THE BAYELSA GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION HELD AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM, INEC HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA, ON FRIDAY 14Th FEBRUARY 20,20

Honourable National Commissioners Secretary to the Commission Directors The M.ia Ladies and Gentlemen

1. 1 welcome you all to this briefing. As you are aware, the Supreme Court of Nigeria yesterday delivered a judgement in a pre-election suit on the Bayelsa State Governorship election held on 16. November 2019. The Commission has received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement of the apex court which disqualified the Deputy Governorship candidate and vitiated the joint ticket of the party earlier declared winner in the election. The Court also ordered the Commission to “…declare as winner of the Governorship election in Bayelsa State the candidate with the highest number of lawful votes cast with the requisite constitutional (or geographical spread)”.

2. In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the Commission met this morning and reviewed the result of the election in which 45 political political parties contested. Without the votes scored by the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidates were deemed not to have participated in the election, the total number of lawful and valid votes cast in the election now stand at 146,999. Out of this figure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172. Similarly, the Party has scored more than 25% of the lawful votes cast in all the eight (8) Local Government Areas of the State.

3. Furthermore, the total number of registered in places where election was not held or cancelled as a result of sundry violations is 90,822. The candidate of the Accord party has the next highest score with 1,339 votes. The margin of lead between the candidates of the PDP and the Accord party is 141,833 votes. With this outcome, the election is conclusive at first ballot.
Keep Naira clean

4. Consequently, Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the PDP are hereby declared winners and returned elected as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State respectively.

5. The detailed results will be shared with you at this briefing and uploaded on the Commission’s website and social media platforms shortly.

6. The Commission is aware that the tenure of the incumbent Governor of Bayelsa State ends at midnight today Friday 141 February 2020. Therefore, in fulfilment of the requirement of Section 75 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the Certificates of Return to the Governor and Deputy Governor-elect will be presented to them immediately as ordered by the Supreme Court.

7. 1 thank you for your presence.

 

Below is the table showing the results:

INEC results on Bayelsa governorship election


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