Atiku Reacts To Supreme Court Sacking Of David Lyon As Bayelsa Governor-Elect

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election,  has described the Supreme Court’s declaration of Douye Diri as the govenor-elect of Bayelsa State as an indication that power belongs to the people.

Naija News had reported earlier that the Supreme Court on Thursday nullified the election of Lyon as Bayelsa State governor-elect, and his running mate Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.

Lyon who was to be sworn-in on Friday, February 14, was sacked on Thursday, with the Apex court declaring the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Douye Diri as the authentic winner of the election.

A five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Mary Odili ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the All Progressives Congress’ candidates as the winners of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.

Justice Odili asked INEC to issue a fresh certificate to the governorship candidate with the highest votes cast and wide geographical spread in the governorship election held on November 16, 2020.

Naija News understands that the Supreme Court sacked Lyon for presenting a running mate with a fake certificate in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.

Reacting the verdict of the Supreme Court in a statement on his Twitter handle, Atiku expressed joy at the apex court’s declaration, saying the ruling is a confirmation of the peoples mandate on Diri and the PDP. He added that he is confident the incoming leader would do well.

His words: “I received the verdict of the Supreme Court, declaring the candidate of the PDP in the Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections, Senator Douye Diri, as the duly elected Governor of the state, with gladness,” he noted.

“Senator Douye Diri had cause to visit with me before the elections and received my blessings and counsel. I am fully satisfied that he has what it takes to make Bayelsa the ‘glory of all lands’. His intellect, personality and character, are a credit to Bayelsa and the PDP.”

The 2019 PDP Presidential candidate advised Douye to use the “opportunity to show Nigerians that power belongs to the people, and we must make good use of this opportunity.”

Atiku called on the people in Bayelsa to back their new leader to bringing development and prosperity to the state, as he lauded the Supreme Court for showing “consistency in its judgments.”