INEC amends Bayelsa governorship list, restores Sylva per Court orders

The Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, has issued an amended list of candidates for the upcoming Bayelsa State governorship election.

The updated list now includes the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, who are contesting on the All Progressives Congress, APC, platform.

This move comes after a series of legal developments. The Federal High Court in Abuja had, on October 10, disqualified Timipre Sylva from participating in the state governorship election. The court’s judgment cited Sylva’s previous two terms as governor, totaling five years in office, which would breach the 1999 Constitution if he were allowed to run for office again. The ruling also highlighted that Sylva would spend more than eight years in office if he won and was sworn in.

Not satisfied with this decision, Timipre Sylva appealed the ruling through his lawyer, Dr. Ahmed Raji. While the appeal was pending, INEC initially released a list of candidates on October 25, excluding Sylva’s name.

However, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the Secretary to the Commission, clarified that the amendment was made in accordance with court orders. She explained that the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election was amended on October 16, 2023, as per the order of the Federal High Court.

The Court of Appeal later set aside the earlier judgment, prompting INEC to update the candidate list in compliance with Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Recall, the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election was altered on October 16, 2023, following a Federal High Court order in Suit No-FHC/ABJ/CS/821/2023, which questioned Sylva’s candidacy.

However, the Court of Appeal, in its decision on October 31, 2023, in Appeal No CA/ABJ/CV/1060/2023, overturned the lower court’s judgment.

In accordance with Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is obligated to adhere to court orders regarding the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.

Therefore, the list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship election has been revised in Amendment No. 2 to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgment, as stated by INEC.

The commission had previously committed to following court judgments regarding the APC candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva

This development marks a significant turn of events in the lead-up to the Bayelsa State governorship election, with Timipre Sylva and Joshua Maciver now back in contention as candidates representing the APC.