Despite the disqualification of its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that it still intends to hold the October 14 campaign kickoff for the November 11 Bayelsa governorship election.
The Federal High Court in Abuja’s Justice Donatus Okorowo has ruled that Sylva is unable to run for governor in the upcoming elections, as Platinum Times previously reported.
Okorowo concluded that Sylva would violate the 1999 Constitution as amended if she were permitted to run for office again after being twice sworn in and serving as the governor of Bayelsa for five years.
However, the APC stated that Sylva is still the party’s candidate in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.
“We wish to state categorically that Chief Timipre Sylva is and remains the Bayelsa governorship candidate of our great party in the Nov. 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 to remain calm and await the outcome of the appeal, and we remain confident that we shall prevail,” he said.
Morka said that with nothing to offer the Bayelsa electorate, after its poor performance as the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had since resorted to mercenary lawsuits.
He added that the PDP had also resorted to underhand dealings and antics to distract and create confusion among the people of the state.