Bayelsa APC protest Lyon’s sacking as governor-elect

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State on Friday staged a protest against the sacking of erstwhile governor-elect David Lyon by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on Thursday nullified Lyon’s election because his running-mate Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo forged an academic certificate he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Senator Douye Diri who came second in the election.

Unsatisfied with the court ruling, the APC members and Lyon supporters, took to the streets of Yenagoa, the state capital, to protest the nullified election.

The APC members barricaded major roads in Yenagoa and burnt tyres to register their displeasure at the ruling.

While the protest was ongoing, INEC has presented the certificate of return of Diri and his deputy Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

INEC national South-South commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu made the presentation at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu had declared at a press conference that without the vote of the APC the candidate of the PDP scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172.

“In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the Commission met this morning and reviewed the result of the election in which 45 political parties contested,” Yakubu said.

“Without the votes scored by the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidates were deemed not to have participated in the election, the total number of lawful and valid votes cast in the election now stands at 146,999.

“Out of this figure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172. Similarly, the Party has scored more than 25% of the lawful votes cast in all the eight (8) Local Government Areas of the State.

“Furthermore, the total number of registered voters in places where election was not held or cancelled as a result of sundry violations is 90,822. The candidate of the Accord party has the next highest score with 1,339 votes.

“The margin of lead between the candidates of the PDP and the Accord party is 141,833 votes. With this outcome, the election is conclusive at first ballot.

“Consequently, Senator Douye Diri AND Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the PDP are hereby declared winners and returned elected as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State respectively.”