From Godwin Tsa, Abuja and Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

In a unanimous decision,  a five-man panel of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, headed by Justice Jimmi Bada, yesterday, held that Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State was validly elected in the last election.
In dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit and substance, the court resolved all the five issues raised in the appeal by Sylva and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in favour of Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The appellate court unanimously held that Sylva and his party failed to prove and sustain the allegations of corruption, non-compliance, gross violation of the electoral act and other malpractices in the conduct of the election.
While dissecting the issues entangled in the appeal, the court disagreed with submission of counsel to the appellants, Sabastine Hon (SAN) that section 26 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 was breached by INEC when it cancelled the December 6, 2015 polls in Southen Ijaw.
The appellants had argued that the Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) had no powers under section 26 (1) of the Electoral Act to unilaterally cancel the polls.‎
Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has cautioned Sylva to stop the flagrant abuse of Court process and join hands with his administration to build the state.
Dickson in  a statement said the judgment indicated that the resolve of the people did not go in vaain. He called for greater vigilance to protect democracy in the country.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Robinson Obuebite said the Dickson administration extended a hand of fellowship “to the few APC followers remaining in the state and their candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva to come and join hands with Governor Dickson and contribute his quota as a Bayelsan by first giving appointments to our sons and daughters at the Federal level.”
According to him, Sylva as a member of the ruling party, can attract appointments to the state and create opportunities for the Federal Government to handle some key federal projects in the state.
“Therefore the time is now, the doors are open as our government is interested in real development of our state and not playing politics with the future of our people” he said.