The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Bayelsa State governorship election held on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

The who contested for the second term in office was declared the winner on Monday afternoon, November 13, 2023, by the Returning Officer, Prof Faruq Kuta, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Of Technology, Minna.

Diri polled 175,196 to defeat his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who garnered 110,108 votes while the Labour Party polled 905 votes.

While 18 candidates vied for the post, Sylva was Diri’s main contender. The immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum was contesting to return as the governor of the South-South state.

He first became a governor from May 2007 to April 2008. Sylva returned as the leader of the state between May 2008 and January 2012

But his third attempt to become the governor of Bayelsa State was a bumpy ride. About one month before the election, the Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified him from the contest, citing a breach of the 1999 Constitution if he won.

According to Justice Okorowo, since Sylva has served twice and five years as governor of the state, he would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again.

The judge also declared that Sylva was not qualified to run in the November poll because if he wins and is sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state.

In the wake of the ruling, INEC delisted him as a contestant for the exercise. But APC and Sylva challenged the judgment with the Appeal Court on October 31, 2023 later reversing Sylva’s disqualification for the poll.

This report is developing, more details will be shared on the Intel Region WhatsApp group as soon as possible.