Following the Supreme Court judgment on the November 16th Bayelsa State elections, that sacked the governor-elect and his deputy, on the eve of their inauguration, has led the deputy, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo being on the verge of committing suicide.
Justice Eko disqualified Degi-Eremienyo’s candidacy because he presented false information about his educational qualifications in his Form CF001 submitted to INEC as a candidate for the 2019 election. He noted that the “claims” by Degi-Eremienyo appeared to be “fraudulent”, pointing out to “several names he uses variously chameleonically to suit the changing environment.”
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, revealed that:
“I’m dealing with a former deputy governor that is on the verge of committing suicide. Every day I had to call to find out that he hasn’t done anything to himself. If someone said you forged your certificate and you have built your life and integrity and someone all of a sudden brings everything down, that can lead to suicide. If you have a case in court challenging the authenticity of the certificate of a candidate, that is a different one but if you say it is a case of forgery and you have not heard from the person concerned, then you have not established anything. You haven’t gone to school or university where this person studied to confirm the veracity of the allegation but you already condemn the person, it’s is very sad and dangerous.”
Degi’s Torment
Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, condemned the Supreme Court verdict saying said he did not forge any certificate and accused the court of reputation damage.
“The event of my disqualification is distressing and traumatizing to me personally and, of course, a greater trauma was inflicted on my party, the governorship candidate and the good people of Bayelsa who signified their choice of who should be their governor and deputy governor.
Degi, however, remains a senator as the 9th National assembly held that the Supreme Court’s pronouncement did not affect his senatorial status.
The Moment APC lost Bayelsa
He ruled that Degi-Eremienyo’s disqualification based on submitting false information to INEC had infected the joint ticket with which he and Lyon contested the election and emerged victoriously.
The apex court ordered INEC to issue fresh certificates to the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election, which are the People’s Democratic Party’s candidates.
Upon re-approaching the apex court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta ruled that the application by the APC and its candidate David Lyon “lacked merit, was vexatious and constituted an abuse of court process”.
The panel awarded a total sum of N60million against lawyers to the APC and Lyon, Afe Babalola and Wole Olanipekun, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, to the PDP, Governor Douye Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
The Supreme Court insisted that granting the application would open the floodgate of such applications. She affirmed the finality of the court’s decisions, which they stated could only be changed by legislation.
While Emeka Ihedioha is awaiting the fate of his review at the Supreme Court, he is under no known suicidal watch.
