MUHAMMAD JSC (Delivering the Lead Judgment): This court heard this appeal on Tuesday, 8 November 2016. I read in open court, after holding conference on the appeal with my brother Justices on the panel as constituted above, that the appeal be dismissed for want of merit. I undertook to give my reasons for dismissing the appeal today. Below is the reasoning process I adopted in arriving at my conclusion. The appellants herein were the petitioners at the Bayelsa
State Governorship Election Tribunal (‘the tribunal’ for short). The appellants filed their petition (numbered as) No. EPT/BY/ GOV/002/2016, on 3 January 2016, challenging the election and declaration of the 2nd respondent (Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson) as the Governor of Bayelsa State. They challenged as well, the cancellation of the election of 6 December 2015, held in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. Each of the respondents A filed their response (reply) to the petition. Each of the respondents raised a preliminary objecti…