The All Progressives Congress (APC) claims it is premature for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, from the list of candidates for the Bayelsa governorship on November 11.
Mr Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity Secretary said this in a statement in Abuja.
“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 Oct. 9 which disqualified Chief Timipre Sylva as candidate of our party.
“Our candidate and party promptly appealed that judgment and brought other processes seeking 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 continued by saying that INEC was a party to the dispute and had received notice of all pertinent papers and court decisions.
He claimed that it was obviously premature for INEC to delist the APC candidate under these circumstances and that doing so would affect the outcome of a legitimate appeal in the case.
According to him, should the appeal be successful, the removal of the party’s candidate from the Bayelsa governorship field will leave the candidate, the party, and the appellate court in a powerless position.
For the sake of justice, Morka pleaded with INEC to rescind the modification it had referenced.
He urged the people of Bayelsa to maintain their composure till the legal system is completed, especially the party’s throngs of members and sympathizers.
He declared that he was confident the party’s nominee will win the poll and the Court of Appeal.
In a decision rendered on October 9, Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, barred Sylva from running in the governorship election scheduled for November 11.
After being sworn in twice and serving as governor of Bayelsa for five years, Okorowo declared that allowing Sylva to run for office again would violate the 1999 constitution as modified.
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