INEC Complies with Court Orders, Removes Sylva from Bayelsa Governorship Candidates List
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has updated the lists of candidates for the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa and Imo States.
According to the revised list posted on the commission’s website, the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been excluded from the Bayelsa State election.
The list, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, indicated “court order” in the column reserved for the APC candidate and running mate.
In Imo State, the commission has added the names of Uchechukwu Ishiodu as the governorship candidate and Ahumbe Chiazor as the running mate for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the state election.
Oriaran-Anthony, in the amended document, clarified that INEC’s actions were in response to court orders regarding the candidate lists.
She recalled that the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election was published on June 9, as stipulated by the Electoral Act of 2022 and the election timetable.
Subsequently, the commission received a court order pertaining to the APC candidate’s nomination for the Bayelsa State governorship election.
“In accordance with Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission is obligated to enforce the court’s orders on candidate nominations by political parties in the state,” Oriaran-Anthony stated.
“The amended list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election has been revised in compliance with the court orders served on the commission.”
Similarly, for Imo State, Oriaran-Anthony reminded that INEC published the final list of candidates for the state governorship election on June 9, in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act of 2022 and the election timetable.
Following the publication, the commission received a court order for the inclusion of the PRP and its candidate in the list of candidates for the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
“By virtue of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission is obliged to enforce the court’s orders on candidate nominations by political parties in the state,” Oriaran-Anthony affirmed.
“The amended list of candidates for the 2023 Imo State Governorship election has been revised in compliance with the court orders served on the Commission.”
On October 10, the Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified Sylva from participating in the state governorship election. Justice Donatus Okorowo, in the judgment, ruled that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as the Bayelsa State governor, would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again.
The judge also declared that Sylva was not qualified to run in the November poll because if he won and was sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state. Additionally, the Federal High Court in Owerri judicial division, in Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/35/2023 – PRP & Anor v. INEC, among others, equally ordered INEC to include the name of the PRP governorship candidate in the list of nominated candidates already published on the INEC website.