The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the name of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva, from the final list of candidates for the upcoming Bayelsa State governorship election scheduled for November 11.
The amended list, which was published on INEC’s website on Tuesday, was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
In this updated list, the column for the names of the APC candidate and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, was left blank, with the remark “court order.”
READ ALSO:Federal Government Secures $17 Million World Bank Support for Adolescent Education
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 Timipre Sylva from participating in the state governorship election.
The court ruled that Sylva, who had previously served two terms as governor, would be in breach of the constitution if allowed to contest again and serve more than eight years in office.
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.
