The decision followed last week’s decision of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has re-enlisted the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva in Saturday’s Bayelsa State Governorship election.
The decision followed last week’s decision of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.
SaharaReporters had on October 31 reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja set aside a ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and asserted that Sylva, also a former minister, could contest in the November 11 governorship election.
The appeal court said the complainant had no locus standi to file the suit and therefore the judgment could not stand.
SaharaReporters weeks ago reported that Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a judgement delivered disqualified the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Sylva.
Justice Okorowo had ruled that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of Bayelsa would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again.
The judge had 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.
Citing the case of Marwa vs Nyako at the Supreme Court, Okorowo noted that the drafters of the country’s constitution stated that nobody should be voted for as governor more than twice and that the parties to the suit agreed that Sylva was voted into office two times.
He further stated that the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Marwa vs Nyako that nobody could expand the constitution or its scope.
He noted that if Sylva was allowed to contest the next election, it meant a person could contest as many times as he wished.