Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has initiated legal fireworks to disqualify candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5, 2015 and January 9 governorship polls, Chief Timipre Sylva, from contesting governorship election in the state.
After losing the last election, Sylva, who had been governor of the state between May 2007 and February 2012 approached the state Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja seeking to be declared winner.
Rather, the tribunal upheld the election of Dickson, but Sylva appealed the judgment.
Dickson, who expressed dissatisfaction with the tribunal for refusing to bar Sylva from contesting governorship election having taken governorship oath of office twice, cross-appealed the judgment of the tribunal in which he won.
In a cross-appeal filed on August 15, Dickson’s lead counsel, Tayo Oyetibo contended that by virtue of section 182(1)b of the 1999 Constitution, Sylva having been elected governor of Bayelsa State on two occasions was not qualified to contest election into that office again or present any petition challenging Dickson’s victory at the polls.
Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Francis Agbo said having lost the election in seven out of eight local government areas in the state in spite of the manipulation and intimidation of voters by the federal agencies, Sylva should have congratulated Governor Dickson and joined hands with the governor to restore the lost glory of the state.
Agbo accused Sylva and his All Progressives Congress (APC) friends in high places of terrorizing the judiciary to make Sylva governor through the backdoor.
While advising Sylva to stop dragging the judiciary in the mud, the governor’s image-maker urged the judiciary not to be intimidated.
SUN NEWS
