Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Supreme Court has ordered parties in an appeal filed by Timi Alaibe against the emergency of Bayelsa Governor, Duoye Diri as candiadte of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
The five-member panel presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, asked the appellant and respondents to regularise their processes having withdrawn two applications pending before the court.
Shortly before the PDP primary election, Alaibe had dragged the party to Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, disagreeing with the election of three-man delegates. Shortly after the court declined jurisdiction, he withdrew the case and participated. After losing out in the primary, Alaibe proceeded to the Federal High Court, Owerri, praying the court to nullify the election won by Diri. Alaibe moved to the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri. In May 2020, the Appeal court dismissed his appeal that fresh PDP governorship primary election be conducted.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeal Court, Alaibe approached the apex court where he’s praying the court to declare him the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State.
The matter was, however, stalled as the court asked counsel to Alaibe, S.T. Ologunorisa, to regularise his processes, having withdrawn two applications which were not opposed by the lawyer to the defendant.