The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Thursday, declared Duoye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The apex court sacked David Lyon and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo barely twenty-four hours to their swearing-in ceremony.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mary Odili, held that deputy governor-elect, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Hence, his disqualification infected David Lyon, the governorship candidate because they had a joint ticket.
Below, however, are some important facts to note about Senator Diri.
1. Douye Diri was born on June 4, 1959.
2. He was born in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
3. He obtained his West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) at Government Secondary School Odi in 1981.
4. He also obtained his Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) at the College of Education in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state in 1985 before proceeding to the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State where he earned his Bachelors of Education degree in Political Science in the year 1990.
5. He became the Deputy Chief of Staff, Bayelsa State Government House in 2012, later became Principal Executive Secretary (2013-2014).
6. He was elected into the Federal House of Representatives to represent Kolokuma, Opokuma, and Yenagoa Federal Constituency, 2015.
7. He is the senator representing Bayelsa Central senatorial district of Bayelsa State at the Nigerian 9th National Assembly after winning the election for his senatorial district.
8. He emerged the flag bearer of the PDP for Bayelsa state in the November 2019 Elections.
9. He however lost to Lyon of the APC who scored a total of 352,552 votes while he polled 143,172 votes.
10. On Thursday, 13th February 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria declared him the authentic winner of the Bayelsa State governorship election.
