Election nullification: Diri heads to Appeal Court

Senator Douye Diri, Bayelsa State Governor, says he will appeal Monday’s ruling of the state election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja which nullified his election.

Diri said he has consequently instructed his lawyers to file the necessary papers.

In a press release by his acting chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor who spoke shortly after the tribunal ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrongly excluded the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) governorship candidate in the November 16, 2009 election, said he has implicit confidence in the judiciary that he would triumph in the end.

His words: “We trust in the judiciary and we are appealing the judgement. With God on our side, we will get justice.

“This is a court of the first instance and I have instructed our lawyers to file an appeal. We have a right to appeal even up to the Supreme Court.”

The governor urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his supporters not to panic and to continue to remain calm and law-abiding.