The All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that Chief Timipre Sylva remains its governorship candidate in Bayelsa State despite a Federal High Court ruling disqualifying him from the race.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a press statement issued on October 10, 2023, said the party had instructed its legal team to appeal the ruling diligently and expeditiously.
Morka urged APC members, supporters, and residents of Bayelsa State to remain calm and await the outcome of the appeal, expressing confidence that the party would prevail.
He also accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of resorting to mercenary lawsuits, underhand dealings, and antics to distract and create confusion among the good people of the state.
The APC spokesman reiterated that the party’s governorship campaign flag-off would be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on Monday, disqualified Sylva from the Bayelsa governorship race on the grounds that he had already served two terms as governor of the state.
The court also held that Sylva’s candidacy would violate Section 182(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits anyone from serving as governor for more than eight years.
However, the APC has maintained that Sylva is eligible to contest the governorship election and that the party’s legal team is confident of overturning the court’s ruling on appeal.
The statement by the party reads:
ABUJA, FCT
OCTOBER 10, 2023
PRESS STATEMENT
TIMIPRE SYLVA REMAINS APC BAYELSA STATE GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE
Against the backdrop of an Abuja Federal High Court decision that disqualified the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, we wish to state categorically that Chief Sylva is and remains the Bayelsa State Governorship Candidate of our great Party in the November 11, 2023 Governorship election.
Our Party and its Candidate have duly instructed the legal team to appeal the said decision of the Federal High Court, diligently and expeditiously.
We urge our teeming members, supporters, and residents of Bayelsa State to remain calm and await the outcome of the appeal, and we remain confident that we shall prevail.
With nothing to offer the Bayelsa electorate, following its lacklustre performance as the ruling party, the jittery PDP in the Bayelsa state has since resorted to mercenary lawsuits, underhand dealings and antics to distract and create confusion among the good people of the state.
We wish to reconfirm that the Party’s Governorship Campaign Flag Off will be held on Saturday, 14th October, 2023 in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. All stakeholders, Party members, supporters, and the general public are cordially invited to join the winning campaign.
Signed:
Felix Morka, Esq.
National Publicity Secretary
