Bayelsa Verdict and Oshionmhole Infantilism -By Yemi Adebowale

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, and his party, are still going about their juvenile argument that Duoye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party failed to meet the mandatory requirement to become the governor of Bayelsa State. Oshiomhole is demanding for a fresh election, saying that the swearing-in of Diri was unconstitutional. He has since sent a letter of appeal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), requesting for the conduct of fresh governorship election in Bayelsa State. Oshiomhole said the court judgment did not void the votes that the APC polled at the election and the implication of this is that the votes of the party must be reckoned with, in arriving at the “spread” for Diri.

I am surprised that Oshiomhole and the APC are still talking about Diri not meeting the required spread. The judgement nullifying the victory of APC’s David Lyon, is straight forward and devoid of ambiguity. The candidate sworn-in, Diri, met the mandatory requirements for becoming governor, because “spread” was determined after removing the votes of Lyon, which had become invalid. Since the Supreme Court had decided that Lyon’s candidacy was invalid, because of the excess luggage of his deputy, it is preposterous for Oshiomhole to be talking about Lyon votes again.

Once the participation of a candidate in an election is invalid, all votes secured become a waste and deducted from total votes cast, before arriving at “spread.” This was exactly what INEC did, and subsequently issued Diri a Certificate of Return, as governor-elect. Diri now has the highest number of votes, with the required geographical spread.

Oshiomhole’s argument that the Supreme Court did not specifically rule that the votes of Lyon be invalidated is childish. It is crystal clear that the votes had become invalid. Votes of an invalid candidate are automatically invalid. The law is very clear on this. Oshiomhole and his APC should learn to swallow the bitter pill of not winning Bayelsa State and stop heating up the polity.