‘You Can’t Unseat God’, Says Diri On Victory At Appeal Court

Governor of Bayelsa, Douye Diri, has reacted to ruling of the appeal court on his victory in the November 16, 2019 election.

You recall that the Bayelsa election petitions tribunal had, in August, nullified the election of Diri as governor of the state.

The tribunal verdict was sequel to a petition by candidate of the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), Lucky King-George, who had maintained that he was excluded from the governorship poll.

The tribunal had also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh poll in the state within 90 days.

Dissatisfied with the tribunal ruling, Diri, as well as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC, in three separate suits, had approached the appellate Court and prayed it to reverse the tribunal’s decision.

CityNews Nigeria reports that in a ruling on Friday, the court had affirmed Diri as the duly elected governor of the state, it ruled that  the petition filed by ANDP at the lower tribunal was statute-barred.

Reacting to ruling, Diri expressed satisfaction with the ruling by the appeal court.

According to NAN, Daniel Alabrah, chief press secretary to the governor, in a statement, said Diri thanked God for the victory and commended the five-man panel of the court for serving justice.

The governor said the affairs of Bayelsa are being managed by God himself and he’s just a messenger, noting that no one can oust God from power.

“I want to thank God for this victory. Today, a Daniel came to judgement in the name of the Court of Appeal, which has given the true position of the law and we are happy about it,” the governor was quoted as saying.

“For those who are fanning the embers of disunity in our state, using portfolio political parties, this is a time to put a full stop to it.

“If they really love the state, why are they still fanning the embers of destabilisation and moving on to unseat us?

“The governor of Bayelsa State is God Himself. I have told those who care to listen that I am only a messenger-governor. The governor of Bayelsa is His Excellency, the Supreme Leader of the universe, and that is God Himself.

“He kept me here to hold brief for Him and you cannot unseat God. There is a God that rules over the affairs of men and that God that has brought me here will protect me, my deputy governor, and everybody put together to lead this government.”