In a significant development leading up to the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been notably absent from the list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday evening.
The amended list, published on the INEC website, is signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony. The columns designated for the APC candidate and his running mate have remained conspicuously blank, accompanied by the notation “court order.”
In addition to the adjustments for Bayelsa, INEC has incorporated the names of Uchechukwu Ishiodu as the gubernatorial candidate and Ahumbe Chiazor as the running mate for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the state election in Imo.
In the amended document, Oriaran-Anthony elucidated that INEC’s actions were taken in compliance with court orders relating to the candidate lists that were served upon the commission.
Oriaran-Anthony recalled that INEC had originally published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election on June 9, in accordance with the provisions of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Election.
Subsequently, the commission was served with a court order pertaining to the nomination of the APC candidate for the Bayelsa governorship election. As per the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), INEC is obligated to adhere to court orders concerning the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.
Oriaran-Anthony stated, “The Amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of the court served on the commission.”
In the case of Imo, Oriaran-Anthony also noted that INEC had initially published the final list of candidates for the state governorship election on June 9 in line with the relevant legal provisions. Following this publication, the Commission received a court order for the inclusion of the PRP and its candidate on the list of candidates for the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
Again, citing Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Oriaran-Anthony emphasized that INEC is duty-bound to enforce court orders regarding the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.
She stated, “The Amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Imo State Governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the Orders of Court served on the Commission.”
The Federal High Court, Abuja, had issued a disqualification order against Timipre Sylva on October 10, ruling that his participation in the state’s gubernatorial election would violate the 1999 constitution as amended, considering his previous terms as governor. This judgment declared that Sylva was not eligible to contest the November poll, as it would result in a tenure exceeding eight years in office.
The Federal High Court, Owerri judicial division, in Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/35/2023 – PRP & Anor v. INEC, among others, directed INEC to include the name of the PRP gubernatorial candidate on the list of nominated candidates, which had already been published on the INEC website.
