Timipre Sylva, the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the coming November 11 governorship election has been disqualified from contesting.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and former Nigerian Petroleum Resourses Minister, was disqualified by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Justice Okorowo ruled that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and served five years as governor of the state, would breach the 1999 Constitution as amended, if allowed to contest again.
The judge also declared that Sylva was not qualified to run in the November poll because if he wins and is sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state.
Justice Okorowo cited the case of Marwa vs Nyako at the Supreme Court and observed that the drafters of the country’s constitution stated that nobody should be voted for as governor more than twice and that the parties to the suit agreed that Sylva was voted into office two times.
He further stated that the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Marwa vs Nyako, that nobody can expand the constitution or its scope. So, if Sylva is allowed to contest the next election, it means a person can contest as many times as he wishes.
