Bayelsa Election: Appeal Court Ruling Favors Timipre Sylva, Dismissing Exclusion Suit

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has given the green light for former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, to participate in the upcoming governorship election in Bayelsa State…CONTINUE READING

The appellate court, on Friday, dismissed the remaining suits aiming to bar the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate from the electoral race.

In a judgment related to an appeal brought by Hon Isikima Ogbomade Johnson against Sylva and two others, Justice Binta Zubar ruled that the suit lacked justification and was filed in bad faith by the appellant against the respondents.

The Court concurred with Chief James Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who argued that the accusations of Sylva taking the oath of governorship office twice were nullified by competent courts.

The appeal, identified as CA/ABJ/CV/1052/2023, also saw the dismissal of allegations against the APC, asserting that its April 14, 2023, primary election, which declared Sylva as the flagbearer, adhered to legal provisions.

The unanimous judgment upheld Onoja’s contention, supported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APC, that all necessary legal procedures were observed during the conduct of the primary election.