Court disqualifies Sylva from Bayelsa Governorship election

 

ABUJA, Nigeria – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja today disqualified former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timiprey Sylva from contesting the November 11, 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship election under any political party. 

Justice Donatus Okorowo  held that Mr Timipre Sylva has been sworn in as twice as  governor and served five years as governor of Bayelsa, adding that it would amount to a breach of the 1999 constitution if he is allowed to take part in the governorship race.

Justice Okorowo also declared that Sylva was qualified to run in the November poll because if he wins and  he is sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state.

The judge alluded to the Supreme Court judgement in Marwa vs Nyako, stressing  that the drafters of the country’s constitution stated that nobody should be voted for as governor more than twice and that the parties to the suit agreed that Sylva was voted into office two times.

He further stated that the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Marwa vs Nyako that nobody can expand the constitution or its scope.

“So, if Sylva is allowed to contest the next election, it means a person can contest as many times as he wishes”, the court ruled.