The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented conflicting election results for the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State at the Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja. INEC had declared Douye Diri, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner, but the APC and its candidate, Timipre Sylva, challenged the results.
At the tribunal hearing, INEC presented Certified True Copies of the election results, while APC polling unit agents submitted different results for the areas where they were deployed. One APC polling agent, Odungele Moses, testified that the election took place in his polling unit and tendered a result, but during cross-examination, he admitted that only the APC signed the result he presented.
Another witness, Mallory Afin, submitted APC results with the same serial number and number of accredited voters as INEC’s, but with different results for political parties. During cross-examination, it was noted that the results tendered by the APC and its candidate at two different polling units were signed by the same presiding officer.
The tribunal admitted both sets of conflicting results as exhibits for consideration and adjourned further hearing until February 15, 2024. The APC and Sylva are challenging the declaration of Diri as the winner, alleging irregularities and discrepancies in the election process.
