The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, have closed their petitions challenging the November 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
Sylva and the APC had called 52 witnesses before the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Governor Duoye Diri, who are set to open defence on March 4.
At the proceedings on Tuesday, INEC tendered 42 different voter registers from various polling units of the Nembe, Ogbia, and Southern Ijaw LGAs of the state to establish its position that the election was not held in the areas due to violence.
Justice Adekunle Adeleye thereafter fixed March 4 for the opening of defence by INEC, Governor Diri, his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrujakpo, and the PDP.
Sylva, a former Minister of Petroleum, and the APC had filed petitions against INEC, Diri, Ewhrujakpo, and the PDP challenging the election results, wherein they polled 175,196 votes against his 110,108 votes.