The Presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari refused to interfere with the judgment of the Supreme Court in Bayelsa State, annulling the victory of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state.
The Supreme Court on Thursday sacked the APC governor-elect in Bayelsa State, David Lyon, and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, and pronounced the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidates, Douye Diri, and his deputy, Lawrence Ewrujakpor, as the winners of the November 2019 governorship election held in the state.
The apex court had found irregularities in the credentials of the ex-APC deputy governor-elect in Bayelsa State, Degi-Eremienyo, and annulled the joint ticket of both Lyon and Degi-Eremienyo.
The Supreme Court then ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue fresh certificates to the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election, which is the PDP’s Diri and his deputy governor-elect, Lawrence Ewrudjakpo.
INEC on Friday morning issued a Certificate of Return to Diri in compliance with the verdict of the Supreme Court.
In like manner, the Chief Judge of the state on Friday evening administered the oaths of office on Diri and his deputy, swearing both in as the fifth civilian governor and deputy governor of the state.
Shortly after the inauguration on Friday evening, an aide to the President on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, praised her principal, the retired major general, for refusing to interfere with the Supreme Court judgment sacking the candidates of his party, the APC, in the Bayelsa State governorship poll.
Onochie tweeted;
Done and Dusted.
Bayelsa Governor Elect, Sen. Douye Diri and Deputy, have been sworn in as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa in Yenagoa.
The Supreme Court has spoken.
Bayelsans have moved on.
I salute the Courage of @MBuhari for refusing to intefere with the judiciary. pic.twitter.com/OU1DJZJ3lG
— Lauretta Onochie (@Laurestar) February 14, 2020