Supreme Court holds final hearing on Kogi, Bayelsa Governorship elections

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has begun hearing electoral disputes from the 2023 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States.

The disputes involve Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, who were declared winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last year.

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) are contesting INEC’s declarations regarding the election outcomes.

However, both the separate Governorship Election Petition Tribunals and the Court of Appeal, which convened in Abuja, upheld the electoral body’s declarations on various grounds.