Ex-Gov Sylva drags INEC to court

By ADESINA AIYEKOTI

Former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court, seeking an order directing the commission to conduct a fresh governorship election in the state.

Sylva, according to a suit instituted by his counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) anchored his case on the premise that as at April 2011, he was still the only valid and authentic governorship candidate on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Following the institution of the suit, the judge hearing the suit, Justice C.E. Archibong, sitting in the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, has granted an order to the plaintiff to issue and serve the originating summons in the matter on the defendant whose headquarters and place of operation is at Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, FCT Abuja.

Adjourning the case till next Monday, the court also granted an order for abridgment of time and accelerated hearing of the substantive suit. Among the relief being sought by the plaintiff include a declaration that by virtue of the Supreme Court in Marwa Vs Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Pt 1296) page 199, that the plaintiff’s tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State expired on 29, May 2011.

He also prayed the court to make a pronouncement that as at April 2011, he “was/is still the only valid and authentic candidate on the platform of PDP for Bayelsa State. Sylva also urged the court to direct INEC to give effect to the above declaration by declaring him as the governor of Bayelsa State being the candidate of the party that won the election. Alternatively, he was praying for an order directing INEC to conduct a fresh governorship election in Bayelsa State with him as the candidate of PDP.