Bayelsa Polls: Sylva’s Camp In Disarray As INEC Excludes ex-Minister’s Name From Final Guber Candidate List

The political camp of Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for November 11 Bayelsa State governorship election, has been thrown into disarray as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) excluded his name from a list of candidates reportedly released earlier today.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (https://bigpenngr.com) reports that the exclusion of Sylva’s name was confirmed in the revised list, published on the commission’s website and signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the Commission Secretary.

According to report by Channels Television on Wednesday, the column for the names of the APC candidate and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, was left blank with “court order” remarks on it.

According to Oriaran-Anthony, the action of the commission was in obedience to court orders on the lists, served on the commission.

Recalling that the commission published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election on June 9 in accordance with the provision of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Election, she said after the publication, INEC was served with an order of court in respect of the nomination of candidate of the APC for the poll.

“By virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Commission is bound to enforce the orders of the court on the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state,” Oriaran-Anthony said.

“The Amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the commission.”

On October 10, the Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified Sylva from participating in the state governorship election.

Justice Okorowo ruled that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and served five years as governor of the state, 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.

But the APC in in Bayelsa State said it will appeal the Federal High Court judgment disqualifying Timipre Sylva, its candidate in the forthcoming governorship election.

The Director of Media and Publicity for the APC Bayelsa Governorship Campaign Council, Perry Tukuwei, argued that the suit by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in breach of the Electoral Act.