The Federal High Court in Abuja has barred Chief Timipre Sylva, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from participating in the Bayelsa State election scheduled for November 11.
This decision was rendered by Justice Donatus Okorowo on Monday. The judge ruled that Sylva, who had served two terms as governor, totaling five years, would violate the 1999 constitution as amended if he were allowed to run again.
Justice Okorowo asserted that Sylva was ineligible to run in the upcoming November election, as he would exceed the constitutional limit of serving more than eight years as governor of the state if he were to win and be sworn in.
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Marwa vs. Nyako, the judge stated that the drafters of the constitution stipulated that no one should be elected as governor more than two times, and the parties involved in the case agreed that Sylva had been elected into office twice.
The judge emphasized that the Supreme Court has previously ruled in the case of Marwa vs. Nyako that no one can expand the constitution or its provisions. Allowing Sylva to run in the upcoming election would set a precedent that individuals can contest for governor as many times as they wish.