Tribunal judgement on Bayelsa election ‘very much in order’ – Uwazurike

By OBINNA EZUGWU

Lagos based lawyer and president emeritus of Aka Ikenga, an Igbo think tank, Chief Goddy Uwazurike has described as correct decision, the judgement of the Bayelsa State governorship election petition tribunal which on Monday, nullified the election of the state governor, Duroye Diri and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct by-election within 90 days.

The tribunal sitting in Abuja had based its decision on a petition by the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party which argued that it was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election.

“It’s elementary law that an election that excludes a party or omits the logo of a party cannot stand. A free and fair election means one in which the candidates are presented to the electorate for the voters to choose from,” Uwazurike said.

“Any omission means that the correct results are not the one presented by INEC. It means that some parties have been unlawfully excluded. What is not right, is not right. The only challenge is whether it is a pre election matter or post election. It’s irrelevant because the correct answer is that a party has been unlawfully excluded.”

Diri has however, decided to appeal the judgment. But according to Uwazurike, the Appeal Court only have to rely on technical grounds if it were reinstate the governor.

“An appeal court may have a contrary view on technical grounds. But, sad as it is, it is a correct judgement. The properly qualified candidates, excluding APC, will slug it out. Remember that APC has been declared as having no candidates,” he said.

“Edo and Ondo will go the same way if any party is excluded as the Court of Appeal has nullified the de registration of parties by INEC. So the proper thing for INEC to do today is to list all registered parties for elections.”