Despite disqualification, Sylva kicks off campaign for Bayelsa governorship poll

Despite his disqualification by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State, has officially flagged off his campaigns in readiness for the polls.

Sylva, who began his campaign at Agbere before taking his train to the Ebedebiri Community and Sagbama local government council headquarters, said he chose to kick start his state-wide campaigns because he shares a special affinity with the area.

Ripples Nigeria reported that Justice Donatus Okorowo who sacked the former Minister, had held that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of Bayelsa, would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again.

Read also: Court sacks Timipre Sylva as APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa

Ruling on the suit suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/821/2023 filed on June 13, 2023 by a chieftain of the APC in the state, Deme Kolomo, Okorowo declared that Sylva was not qualified to run in the November poll because if he wins and is sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state.

Sylva had emerged the APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa in a highly disputed party primary conducted on April 14, which saw him secured 52,061 to defeat five other contestants including former militant leader, Joshua Machiver who got 2,078, Festus Danumiebi, 557, Maureen Etebu, 1,277, David Lyon, 1,584, and Isikima Johnson, 584 votes.

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