The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole has said no one will be sworn-in as governor on Friday in Bayelsa State.
Oshiomhole said the Supreme Court’s judgment annulling the party’s victory in Bayelsa State lacks the fruit of justice.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, on Thursday, he signaled the party’s intention to challenge the judgment in court.
He also explained that by the judgment, no one will be sworn in as governor in Bayelsa on Friday because aside from the candidate of the APC, David Lyon, no other candidate has the constitutional spread to be sworn in as governor.
He said, “Our lawyers are already studying the judgment to take the necessary legal action.
“Nobody has raised issues about whether or not David Lyon and his running mate won an overwhelming majority in the said election. Issues of whether a chieftaincy title is part of a name or is not a name in our view couldn’t be a reason to dismiss the wishes of the great people of Bayelsa state who repose absolute confidence in the way in which they elected David Lyon and his running mate during the last governorship election.
”Let me also say that it is not a state secret, if as the Supreme Court has ruled, David Lyon cannot now be sworn in as the person who has the highest number of votes and the spread to be sworn in, it simply means from tomorrow there will be no government in Bayelsa State.
”But, as far as we know the next candidate, as the facts are before the court, who happens to be a PDP candidate does not have one-quarter of the total lawful vote cast in that election in 2/3 of the local government councils in Bayelsa State.
“And, therefore from the fact available to us, in consultation with our lawyers, it is clear that there is no candidate that meets the requirements of the supreme court, which means no one can be sworn in legally tomorrow unless there is a deliberate abuse of the legal process.
”We have accordingly asked our lawyers to look at all the windows that exist in law, and take steps to ensure that the will of the people of Bayelsa state is not undermined on the altar of technicalities.
”I believe it is still the same supreme court and therefore we have asked our lawyers to exploit all lawful legal windows to ensure that Bayelsa people have a governor of their choice.
”I have chosen to respond to this judgment so that we do not leave the great people of Bayelsa in doubt as to where we stand. We stand by them. I also want the Nigerian public to know the position of the APC.”
