TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa says Douye Diri, the governor, is considered as illegitimate by the people of the state.

In a statement on Wednesday, Doifie Buokoribo, spokesman of APC in the state, said Diri is not the candidate the Bayelsa people voted for.

In February, the supreme court sacked David Lyon, APC candidate and governor-elect, on the grounds that Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo, his running mate, falsified his credentials.

Diri, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, was sworn in as Bayelsa governor 24 hours later.

In the statement, Buokoribo said though they are bound to it, the verdict of the apex court “is a judgement without justice”.

“The strange decision of the supreme court of Nigeria to ignore the Bayelsa State electorate, make themselves the voters, and impose another person as governor is incompatible with democratic norms,” the spokesman said.

“This is a judgement without justice; this is a judgement without legitimacy. Yes. Even though we are bound by the judgement as a legal entity, our party does not consider the action of the supreme court as fair or just.

“As citizens, we have the right to critique the decision of the apex court. No body or institution, not even the governor imposed on us by the Supreme Court or his party, can deny us that right.

“Legally, Douye Diri is governor of Bayelsa State, but in the hearts and minds of our people, he is illegitimate. He was not the one they voted for. He will bear the burden of illegitimacy throughout his tenancy at Creek Haven, Government House, Yenagoa.”

He said Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, did not have a hand in the violence that followed the supreme court decision in the state.

“As to the charges of violence, Sylva has already disclaimed and denounced the recent protests that took place in Yenagoa and Abuja after the Supreme Court judgement of 13 February 2020,” Buokoribo said.

“In the specific case of Bayelsa state, we have said it time and again that it was the PDP Government under Governor Henry Seriake Dickson that ran a regime of heist, violence and lawlessness since 2012.

”APC and its supporters were, at all times, the victims. His puppet, ‘Governor Dickson II’, otherwise known as senator Douye Diri, has not shown any sign that he will not continue with the regime of lawlessness and grand larceny.”