THE Supreme Court, on Monday, threw out a suit filed by the Change Advocacy Party and its standard-bearer, Imoro Kabbi, challenging the victory of Governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State in the February 11 gubernatorial election.
The party had approached the apex court to challenge the nomination of Dickson, insisting that he was not the standard-bearer of the PDP for the election.
The applicants, through their counsel, Ricky Tarfa, had hinged their argument on the ground that there was a pending suit before the court against the primary which brought in Dickson as the standard-bearer of the PDP.
They prayed the court to void the said primary.
But the apex court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Walter Onoghen, upheld the nomination of Dickson, stating that the court would only be bound by the pleadings before it.
He added that Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution as amended provided for what qualified a person to contest for the position of a governor.
The court further held that the appellant contradicted itself when it admitted that Dickson won the Febuary 11 election.
According to him, “evidence of qualification lies in the declaration of the party and the forwarding of a name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the said party within a period not later than 60 days to the election.
“INEC received the name of the PDP candidate in the election on December 8, 2011 for an election that is to hold on Febuary 11, this is more than 60 days, which is in the ambit of the law.
“There is no merit in the appeal and it is hereby dismissed, parties are to bear their cost.”
Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has hailed the judgment upholding his election.
Dickson said the victory further portrayed the judiciary as a cardinal cornerstone of Nigeria’s democracy.
He dedicated the victory to God and the good people of Bayelsa State, while he thanked them for their continued prayers and support for his administration.
Also, the PDP has congratulated Governor Dickson on the judgment which reaffirmed him as its nominated candidate and also confirmed his victory at the election.
A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the judgment was not only a victory for the people of Bayelsa, who gave their mandate to Governor Dickson, but an endorsement of the internal democratic process of the party.
The party commended the governor on his development strides and urged him to remain focused.
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