Correctional Service Confirms Sylva’s Running Mate Status

•Bayelsa stakeholders ask INEC to respect court’s decision

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), has confirmed that the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Mr Joshua MacIver, was granted Presidential amnesty by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

The confirmation was contained in a leaked letter dated February 2, 2022 from the Office of the Comptroller General of the service.

This was as the Bayelsa Democratic Coalition, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect the decision of a Federal High Court, which disqualified the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, from participating in next month’s governorship election in the state.

Afemale governorship aspirant of the APC, Isikima Johnson, who participated and lost the party’s governorship primaries to Sylva, had challenged the eligibility of Maciver in court.

She had sought his disqualification as the party’s running mate on the grounds that he is an ex-convict, who was sentenced to 10-year prison term for terrorism and sea piracy but escaped from prison without completing his sentence.

But in letter by the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, the service said prior to the amnesty, MacIver was serving a prison sentence in Kaduna Prisons.

He said with amnesty granted him, he was no longer under any legal obligation to continue to serve his prison sentence.

The letter read in part: “This is to confirm that Mr. Joshua MacIver, who was serving a prison sentence in Kaduna Prisons following his conviction in Charge No. PHC/KD/119C/2004 Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Joshua MacIver on the 27th of February, 2006 was granted amnesty alongside other Niger Delta militants by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, GCFR.

“This was pursuant to the Amnesty Proclamation dated the 25th of June, 2009 in exercise of the powers vested on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 175 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is, therefore, no longer under any legal obligation to continue to serve the prison sentence.”

Meanwhile, coordinator of the coalition, Orama David, in a press statement, hailed the decision of the court and described it as victory for democracy, saying with Sylva’s disqualification, there were positive signs that the governorship election would be free, fair and peaceful, unlike the 2019 poll that was adjudged one of the most violent in the state.

He said the decision has not only upheld the principles of justice and the constitution, but also seen as a “crucial step towards ensuring a violence-free and credible governorship election in our beloved state, considering the palpable fear of violence, that the earlier participation of Sylva, as the candidate of APC brought into the process.