Bayelsa Guber: Sylva Knows Fate Sept 28

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned till September 28, his decision on whether or not to disqualify the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Silver, from participating in the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa State.

Okorowo, yesterday, adjourned to the said date for judgment in the suit filed by Chief Demesuoyefa Kolomo, also of the All Progressives Congress (APC), shortly after parties in the suit adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the case.

The plaintiff is praying the court to order INEC to delete Sylva’s name from list of candidates contesting the November 11, governorship poll on the grounds that having occupied the office of Governor of Bayelsa between May 29, 2007 to April 15, 2008 and May 27, 2008 to January 27, 2012, he was no longer entitled to contest for the said office.

Sylva and other defendants in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/821/2023 and filed June 13, are the APC and INEC.

The plaintiff said he was motivated by the need to vindicate Sections 180 (2)(a) and 182(1)b) of the1999 Constitution, the rule of law and to know the applicability of same as it relates to Sylva based on the above facts.

Kolomo also averred that the question raised by the instant suit was a constitutional one and of grave importance to him as a voter and other voters in the state so that they would not vote for someone, who was not qualified to contest in the poll and had their votes wasted at the end of the day.

But Sylva, in his response, denied ever being elected twice as governor of. Bayelsa, adding that the Court of Appeal in its judgment had held that the election that brought him to power in May 2007 was null and void, and directed INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.

While his lawyer, Babayemi Olaniyan, admitted that Sylva is a former governor of Bayelsa, he stressed that Sylva had only been elected once as the state’s governor, and accordingly asked the court to dismiss the suit.

Corroborating Olaniyan’s argument, Otiotio, who appeared for APC, urged the court to dismiss the suit with substantial cost.

In the preliminary objection argued, Otiotio said Kolomo lacked locus standi to institute the suit as he was never an aspirant in the primary election that produce Sylva.

Okorowo, after taking submissions of counsel to parties in the case, fixed September 28, for judgment.