18 days to Bayelsa guber poll: INEC removes APC candidate, Sylva’s name from contestants’ list

Following court’s judgment, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the list of candidates for the Nov. 11 Bayelsa State Governorship poll.

INEC had on Tuesday released the amended lists of candidates for the Bayelsa and Imo States governorship elections and uploaded the same on the commission’s website.

A visit to the website shows that the column for the names of the APC candidate and his running mate was left blank with a corresponding “court order” remarks.

The list was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

Oriaran-Anthony, in the amended document, said the commission’s action was in compliance with court’s orders served on the commission.

She said the commission published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election on June 9 following the provision of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.

She, however, noted that the commission was served with a court order on the nomination of the APC candidate, Sylva and his running mate.

“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.

“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.

“The amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Imo State Governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the Commission, ” she said.

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

Persecondnews recalls that the ruling was premised on Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as the Bayelsa governor, it would amount to a breach of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) if he is allowed to contest the third time.