A Court of Appeal on Friday struck out the motions filed by the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking a stay of execution of the ruling of a lower court.
The appellate court also dismissed their motions seeking an order for Sylva to be relisted as a candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa.
In a unanimous judgment of a three-member panel of justices, Justice William Daudu, struck out the motions for lacking in merit.
Justice Donatus Okorowo in a judgement delivered on Monday, October 9, 2023 ruled that Sylva was not qualified to be in the Bayelsa governorship race while dealing with a lawsuit filed by Chief Demesuoyefa Kolomo, a member of the APC, on June 13, 2023.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/821/2023, Justice Okorowo averred that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of Bayelsa 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 11 poll because if he wins and is sworn-in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state.
Reacting to the judgement, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) delisted Sylva’s name from the list of candidates for the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The commission also included the name of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) governorship candidate, Uchechukwu Ishiodu, and his running mate, Ahumbe Chiazor, on the amended list of candidates for the Imo governorship election.
INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony explained that the amended list was issued in compliance with court orders in both states.
