Dickson, PDP ask court to bar Sylva from Bayelsa guber race

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for next month’s gubernatorial election in Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson and his party have asked the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to stop his main rival, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from participating in the exercise.

The plaintiffs, who made the prayers in a suit filed on their behalf by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), contended that Sylva’s participation would violate the provision of Section 182(1)(b), arguing that he had been elected governor on two previous occasions.

They argued that Sylva, having been voted into office in April 14, 2007 and May 24, 2008 elections, was no longer qualified to contest election into that office by virtue of Section 182(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The section reads: “No person shall be qualified for election to the office of governor of a state if, he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections.”

The suit, marked CV/70/2015, has Sylva, his party, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

PDP’s National Secretary, Professor Adewale Oladipo, in a supporting affidavit, stated that Sylva was first elected and sworn into office as Bayelsa State governor by virtue of an election held on May 14, 2007.

He stated that the election was nullified by the Court of Appeal on April 15, 2008 which ordered a rerun in the judgment now cited as “Amgbare vs Sylva (2009) 1 NWLR (Part 1121) 1.”