The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for delisting its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva from the list of governorship candidates for November 11 Bayelsa governorship election. The party tagged the action of the commission “premature.”
Mr Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity Secretary issued a statement condemning the action of the commission.
“The attention of the APC has been drawn to the updated list of gubernatorial candidates for the Nov. 11 governorship election in Bayelsa by INEC, which excluded our candidate’s name, Chief Timipre Sylva.
“This action by INEC may not be unconnected with the High Court judgement of October 9, which disqualified Chief Timipre Sylva as the candidate of our party.
“Our candidate and party promptly appealed that judgment and brought other processes seeking a stay of the judgment’s execution.
“Recognising 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 Oct. 27,” Morka said.
He added that INEC was a party in the matter and had been served with all relevant filings and orders regarding the matter.
He said it was premature to have delisted APC’s candidate in the circumstances that INEC had done.
Morka advised INEC to withdraw its amendment under reference in the interest of fairness.
Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had in a judgement delivered on October 9, disqualified Sylva from running in the November 11 governorship election, arguing that Syla had been sworn in twice and had ruled for five years.