The Supreme Court has taken arguments from parties in the application by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the review of its February 13 judgment which voided its candidate’s victory in November 16, governorship election in Bayelsa State.
It however stood down proceedings, promising to return later in the day for judgment. It did not give any specific time.
The seven-member panel of the court which heard the application was led by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta.
The apex court had in the February 13, 2020 judgement, voided the participation of the APC’s candidates in the election on the grounds that its deputy governorship candidate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, submitted forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court therefore disqualified Degi-Eremienyo saying that his disqualification had infected the election of David Lyon.
The APC candidates were represented by Afe Babalola (SAN), while Wole Olanipekun (SAN), led Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the APC.
Babalola and Olanipekun urged the court to grant the two applications they filed praying the court to review a portion of the judgment where it voided Lyon’s participation in the election.
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Babalola, argued that the apex court has the power to set aside its earlier judgment.
He insisted that the application is not for a review of the judgment but to set aside the judgment sacking Mr. Lyon who overwhelmingly won the election.
Babalola added that the judgment of the court delivered on February 13, amounted to a denial of fair hearing.
Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Yunus Usman (SAN) and Chris Uche (SAN), who represented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidates in the election, prayed the court to reject the applications.
They argued that the applications were an invitation on the court to violate the Constitution and could open the floodgate for such request in future.
Lawyer to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) , Tanimu Inuwa (SAN) said his client did not file any processes in response to the applications.
