By Dirisu Yakubu
The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has raised the alarm that the All Progressives Congress, APC is relying on what it described as ‘unorthodox’ means to get back the governorship of Bayelsa State.
The main opposition party said that the APC must know that the case against the running mate of its governorship candidate must also be investigated by the Police and other security agencies.
Recall that the Supreme Court had 10 days ago, nullified the Certificate of Return given to Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, David Lyon’s and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared them as winners of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.
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The apex court judgment was delivered by a five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili.
The panel, in its unanimous judgment, ordered the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the governorship election declared by INEC to be sworn in as their replacements.
INEC, after studying the judgment, declared the PDP candidate, Senator Douyle Diri as the winner and gave him and his running mate, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as winners of the election.
The ruling party has since gone back to court to seek the review of the case, but the PDP has alleged that rather than seek a review, the ruling party must, first of all, ask that its disqualified deputy governorship candidate be investigated and punish for the alleged forgery.
It said a mere denial by Degi-Eremienyo was not enough.
The sacked deputy governor-elect had at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, denied forging his certificate.
However, the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus alleged that the APC was known for always leaving the substance of issues and pandering over non-issues.
He said, ‘‘The APC is employing many tactics to get what they have lost back. They are busy addressing press conferences. They have refused to ask questions from its candidate on why he is bearing many names in his certificates.
‘‘How does a person bears three different names on three different occasions? You answer a name in primary school, dropped it while writing the West African Examination Council, WAEC exams and took up another name in the university?
‘‘In a sane clime, the party would, first of all, invite the aspirant, question him, scold him for bringing the name of the party into disrepute and condemn him.
‘‘What else do you do? You then invite the security agencies to probe him or even take him to court to show to the world that you are not fighting corruption by the words of mouth of persecution of the opposition members alone, but by using the big stick against the offending member of your party.
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‘‘We want to warn the APC not to set the Niger Delta region on fire with its actions and clandestine moves on Bayelsa. The state had always been a PDP state, including the entire region of South-South.
‘‘They should not use any other means on Bayelsa State. We relied on the law and their Lordships had spoken. They should allow the sleeping dog to lie.’’
Secondus appealed to the people of the state to remain calm saying that the governor would not discriminate against anyone, adding that Diri would-be governor to everyone in Bayelsa state.
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