Bayelsa Poll: Court hears a new suit to halt Governor Diri’s governorship bid

A new suit that seeks the disqualification of Governor Douye Diri and his Deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has begun at a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja.

The election for governor of Bayelsa is less than nine days away, and this new suit seeks to have both of them removed from office.

The case is currently being heard by Justice Emeka Nwite. It was filed with the intention of obtaining an order of obligatory injunction, which would require the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the names of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo as candidates for the PDP in the election scheduled for November 11.

Additionally, it requested an order of perpetual injunction to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), its agents, privies, or anybody else, from publicizing the candidates’ identities as standard bearers for the party in the next election in Bayelsa.

In her lawsuit, titled “FHC/ABJ/CS/1448/23,” Blessing Clement Azibanagbal, a native of Bayelsa State, sought a ruling from the court that Ewhrudjakpo was unable to contest for the position of deputy governor under the PDP. Ifeanyi Nsowu, her attorney, was the one who brought the case on her behalf.

In the originating summons dated October 26 and submitted on October 30, Azibanagbal sought a declaration that Ewhrudjakpo was likewise not competent to be a running mate with Diri. This statement was requested by Azibanagbal.

In addition to this, she asked the judge to rule that Ewhrudjakpo used many names, despite the fact that she presented no evidence to support her claim “that he is the same person.”

As a result, she argued that the court should rule that the PDP did not field a candidate for the election.

The lawsuit, which was filed in accordance with Rule 3, Order 9 of the FHC Civil Procedure Rules, 2019, requested “a declaration that the 3rd defendant (PDP) does not have any qualified candidate to run for the governorship election in Bayelsa.” This was the objective of the lawsuit.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Governor Diri, Ewhrudjakpo, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are the first through fourth defendants, respectively, in the matter.
Azibanagbal inquired, as one of five questions to be answered, whether a person who has only a first school leaving certificate can run for governor of a state in accordance with the provision of the Constitution of 1999.

“Whether or not the inability of the first defendant (Diri) and the third defendant (PDP) to offer a candidate that has the qualification to compete for the governorship of a state might be grounds to disqualify both candidates.

“whether a candidate with multiple names and no evidence to substantiate the names can contest for governorship election in a state,” “whether a candidate with multiple names and no evidence to substantiate the names,” and so forth.Does the fact that the second defendant, Ewhrudjakpo, included just his first school leaving certificate in the Form EC9 that he filed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), make it possible for him to run for election as deputy governor of Bayelsa State?

It stated, “Considering issues 1 to 4 above, whether this honorable court has jurisdiction to order the 4th defendant to remove the names of 1st and 2nd defendants as candidates in the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa State,” which was the question that was posed in the document.

After then, the judge set the hearing for the case for the 30th of November.