Harboursandport.com: ABUJA - The Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would give effect to
today’s Supreme Court judgement sacking the All Progressives Congress’ (APC)
candidate as the winner of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the
state.
This is even as Chief David Lyon of the All Progressive Congress
has rejected the Supreme Court judgment which upturned his victory as the
governor-elect of Bayelsa State.
INEC National
Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC),
Festus Okoye, said that the commission would back to its Operation Department
to determine the party that meet up the Apex Court ruling.
“The Supreme Court has directed the commission to
issue the Certificate of Return (CoR) to the political party that placed second
in the Bayelsa governorship election and which also has the geographical spread
in the election. “So, what the commission would do is to go back to its
Operation Department and make a determination on which political party came
second in the election and which political party got the geographical spread in
the election.
“Based on that, we would carry out the judgement of
the Supreme Court. We would do that when we get the judgement of the Supreme
Court, so that we would know clearly what the Supreme Court want us to do and
we would carry it out,” Okoye told Daily Trust.
The Supreme Court earlier today sacked the Bayelsa
State governor-elect, David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his
running-mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo 24 hours to their inauguration on
February 14. A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili
ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return (CoR) issued to the APC
candidate as the winners of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the
state. Accordingly, the apex court in its unanimous judgement delivered by
Justice Ejembi Eko, also ordered INEC to issue fresh certificates to the
candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required
constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election. Lyon was sacked
for presenting a running mate with fake qualification.
Reacting to the apex court
judgement in Yenagoa, Lyon at news conference called on APC supporters to
remain as the party leaders and stakeholders meet to decide the next line
action.
Represented by the member
representing Southern Ijaw federal constituency, Hon Preye Oseke, the sacked
APC governo-elect said: "we are in shock; the judgement is a judgement we
as a party and as people of Bayelsa we are rejecting completely."
Flanked by party chieftains
and hundreds of supporters he added, "It is a procured judgement.
While we have our respect for the revered justices, we believe that this is not
the wish of Bayelsans.
"Again, we are calling
on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to
issue certificate of return to the candidate of the the PDP because he was
unable to score the required 25 per cent in the two third of the local
government area.
"As a party, we are
law abiding, our properties have been destroyed even in the midst of the
judgement that came this morning.
"We are calling on all
our supporters to remain calm while our leaders and stakeholders meet and come
up with the next line of action. We believe the right thing will be done. The
rule of law will be upheld."
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