Ahead of the November 11 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed names of the flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Timipre Sylva and his deputy Joshua Maciver from the list of qualified candidates for the poll.
The Commission in a statement by its Secretary, Mrs Rose Oriarian-Anthony said its action was in compliance with a court order.
Recall a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had disqualified the candidate of the APC from the November election in the State.
Delivering judgement in a suit filed by
Demesuoyefa Kolomo, challenging the former Bayelsa State Governor eligibility for the off-season elections, Justice Donatus Okorowo held that allowing Sylva to contest again would breach the provision of the 1999 constitution having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as a governor of the State.
INEC in its statement said it published the list of candidates for Bayelsa State Governorship election on 9th of June in accordance with the provisions of Section 32 of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.
“That, after the said publication, the Commission was served with an order of court in respect of the nomination of candidate of APC for the 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa”.
“That by virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, INEC is bound to enforce the orders of the court,” the Commission further disclosed.