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Bayelsa Poll: Court Clears Road For Sylva, Dismisses APC Aspirant’s Suit Seeking His Disqualification

Published

3 years ago

September 27, 2023

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed a suit seeking disqualification of Mr Timipre Sylva from contesting Nov. 11 Bayelsa governorship poll.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the plaintiff, Mrs Ogbomade Johnson, failed to prove the case upon preponderance of evidence as required by law.

“The case therefore fails for lacking in merit. Consequently, I make an order dismissing the case of the plaintiff for lacking in merit.

“This is the order of this court,” Justice Ekwo declared.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/575/2023, was filed by Mrs Johnson, an All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for Bayelsa governorship election against Sylva, the immediate-past Minister of State for Petroleum.

NAN reports that Mrs Johnson, in the suit dated April 24 but filed April 27 had sued APC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Sylva as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

She prayed the court for an order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to delist the names of APC and Sylva from among the list of political parties and candidates for the November election.

The aggrieved aspirant also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Sylva from parading himself as the APC’s governorship candidate in Bayelsa, among others.

She sought a declaration that the APC was duty-bound in contract to commence and conclude primary election in Bayelsa in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the regulations and guidelines of the political party, after having demanded and received the sum of N10 million from her, along with other five aspirants.

Johnson further sought a declaration that by virtue of the conduct of the APC’s primary poll on April 14 in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the regulations and guidelines of the political party, the APC had no candidate to field for the poll, among other reliefs.(NAN)