Bayelsa: Buhari, APC govs forum chair, Badaru meet in Aso Rock

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu and the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting came barely 24 hours after the Supreme Court sacked the Governor-Elect of the November 19, 2019 election in Bayelsa State, Chief David Lyon and the Deputy Governor-Elect, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo. 

Also read: INEC presents certificates of return to Bayelsa Governor-elect, Deputy

The duo contested the election on the platform of the APC.  Recall that Governor Badaru was Chairman of the APC governorship campaign for the November 19, 2019 election in Bayelsa State. The two governors joined President Buhari for juma’at service at the State House Mosque before the meeting. There have been disquiet at the Presidential Villa after the Supreme Court judgment on Thursday that sacked the Bayelsa State Governor-Elect, Chief David Lyon and the Deputy Governor-Elect, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo.    After meeting with the President at the State House, the two governors declined to speak to State House correspondents that had waited to know the agenda of the meeting. The two governors had after the election alongside the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole presented formally to the President Chief Lyon whose swearing-in was less than 24 hours before he was sacked by the apex Court. It was unclear what Buhari and the two governors discussed, but Villa insiders hinted that the turn of events in Bayelsa was “definitely on the table.” A source that spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “Atiku-Bagudu is a regular face at the Villa, being the governors’ forum chairman. “However, this meeting coming today after the development in Bayelsa is for a special reason, to look into the issues that happened in Bayelsa. “This is also because .Badaru was the chairman of the campaign committee for that election last year in November.” Recall also that the nation’s apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mary Odili, held that Degi-Eremieoyo presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. It held that the Form CF 001 Degi-Eremieoyo submitted to INEC for the purpose of the November 16, 2019, governorship election in the state, contained false information of fundamental nature. Justice Ejembi Eko who delivered the lead judgement reinstated the November 12, 2019, Judgement of the Fedel High Court in Abuja that disqualified Degi-Eremieoyo from participating in the governorship poll. The apex court held that since Degi-Eremieoyo shared a joint ticket with the governor-elect, his disqualification invalidated their nomination by the All Progressive Congress, APC. Consequently, it ordered INEC to immediately withdraw the Certificate of Return that was issued to them and issue a fresh one to the party that secured the second-highest number of votes and got the required constitutional spread The judgement followed an appeal that was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, its governorship and deputy governorship candidates in Bayelsa State, Douye Diri and Lawrence Ewhruojakpo. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in compliance with the judgment and directive of the Supreme Court issued Certificate of Return to the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri and his running mate Senator Lawrence Ewhruojakpo. Vanguard Kindly Share This Story:

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