The All Progressives Congress (APC) announced its plan to appeal the disqualification of Chief Timipre Sylva, its candidate for the November 11 election. Sylva was disqualified by the Federal High Court in Abuja, on the grounds that he had already served two terms as governor of the state.
The APC has described the judgment as “unjust, unfair and undemocratic.” The Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Bayelsa Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Mr. Perry Tukuwei, issued a statement on Tuesday, expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the decision. Tukuwei stated that the suit that led to Sylva’s disqualification was filed by a non-member of the APC who did not contest the party’s governorship primaries.
Additionally, he mentioned that the suit was filed outside the 14-day constitutional window for filing pre-election matters, and in Abuja, contravening a Supreme Court directive that all pre-election matters be heard in the state where party primaries were held. Tukuwei further pointed out that the APC believed that the judgment was a ploy by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Douye Diri to prevent Sylva from contesting the election. The APC has already briefed its lawyers to appeal the judgment.
The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has reassured its supporters that the recent judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which disqualified its gubernatorial candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, was made in favor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The party’s spokesman, Doifie Buokoribo, in a statement, explained that the judgment was based on the fact that the plaintiff, Chief Demesuoyefa Kolomo, who filed the suit, is not a member of the APC and did not contest the party’s primaries.
Furthermore, he added that the case was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed 14 days for filing election matters, thereby making the case “statute barred.”
Buokoribo expressed surprise that the court ignored the fact that the plaintiff lacked locus standing to sue and went ahead to give judgment in their favor. He also alleged that the case was filed in Abuja to perfect PDP’s sinister act.
He urged the people of Bayelsa not to be deterred, saying that the APC remains resolute in its determination to elect Sylva as the next governor of Bayelsa.