BAYELSA: APC Faults INEC For ‘Premature’ Removal Of Timipre Sylva’s Name From Guber Candidates’ List

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for dropping its flag bearer from the list of candidates running the upcoming November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

INEC, in its updated list of Bayelsa governorship candidates, removed Timipre Sylva’s name as APC’s flagbearer for the poll.

INEC took the decision after a High on October 9, 2023, disqualified Sylva as the party’s candidate.

While the APC had appealed against the judgment, Sylva’s name was conspicuously missing from INEC’s updated candidate list released on Tuesday.

Reacting in a statement signed on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC noted: “Our Candidate and Party promptly appealed that judgment and brought other processes seeking a stay of the judgment’s execution.

“Recognizing the extreme urgency of the matter, the Court of Appeal granted an order of accelerated hearing of the matter now fixed for definite hearing on Friday, October 27, 2023. INEC is a party in this matter and has been served with all relevant filings and orders in this matter.

“Delisting our Candidate, in the circumstances, as INEC has done, is clearly premature, and preempts the outcome of the valid appeal in the matter. This flies in the face of INEC’s established practice of awaiting the decisions of appellate courts before taking action that may be prejudicial to the interest of the appellants.

“Removing our candidate from the list of governorship contestants in Bayelsa would foist a situation of helplessness on the appellate court, the Candidate and our Party should the appeal succeed. We urge INEC to withdraw its amendment under reference in the interest of fairness.

“In the meantime, we appeal to the good people of Bayelsa State, especially our teeming members and supporters, to remain calm while the judicial process runs its full course. We have confidence that our candidate will be victorious both at the Court of Appeal and at the polls,” Morka said