By Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Onungwe Obe in Yenagoa
Basking in the euphoria of his victory at the Supreme Court yesterday, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on all those who contested against him or filed election petitions against his election held on the November 16, 2019 to join him in developing Bayelsa State.
This is coming as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday congratulated the governor over the Supreme Court’s judgment, which affirmed his mandate as the governor of Bayelsa State.
Governor Diri in his reaction to the Supreme Court judgment, which dismissed the last batch of cases against him and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the litigants were neither his enemies nor enemies of Bayelsa.
He said they only exercised their rights by going to court and that he did not consider the litigations as personal regardless of the fact that they were a distraction.
In a statement issued in Yenagoa by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the governor said the dismissal of the petitions of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Liberation Movement (LM) and Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) against the deputy governor and that of the Accord Party (AP) against Diri was the fifth time he and his deputy had won at the Supreme Court.
He said, “I have over the period leading to the Supreme Court ruling said as a state we do not need all of this distraction. We are one and the brotherhood should be paramount.
“After elections, particularly when a government has taken the oath of office, we expect everybody to support and bring their ideas on board for Bayelsa to grow and become prosperous. That is why we tagged our government the Prosperity Administration.
“So, today marks the end of all the litigations. If anybody wants to further appeal, maybe he can appeal to the court of the devil. But, constitutionally, I believe this is the end of all the litigations.
“Once again, I call on my brothers that had gone on this appeal to join hands with the government of the day. And what should be uppermost on our mind should be the interest of Bayelsa and not individual and personal interest.
Meanwhile, the PDP yesterday congratulated Diri over the Supreme Court’s judgment.
The party also congratulated the people of Bayesla State over the outcome of the case in the Supreme Court, which has put to rest the electoral contestation that constituted a distraction to governance.
