The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially unveiled the amended lists of candidates for the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa and Imo States. Notably, the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were absent from the Bayelsa State election list.
The published list, available on the commission’s website, displayed the column for the APC candidate and his running mate as blank, accompanied by the annotation “court order.”
The Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, affixed her signature to the updated list, which included Uchechukwu Ishiodu as the governorship candidate and Ahumbe Chiazor as the running mate for the Peoples Redemption Party in the Imo State election.
Offering insights into the developments, Oriaran-Anthony clarified that the commission’s actions were in strict adherence to court orders served on the commission. She emphasized the commission’s compliance with the Electoral Act of 2022, and the stipulated electoral timeline when the final list of candidates for the Bayelsa State Governorship Election was originally published on June 9.
Following the publication, the commission was served with a court order related to the nomination of the APC candidate for the Bayelsa State governorship election, prompting the amendments reflected in the released list.
“By virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission is bound to enforce the orders of the court on the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.
“The amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the commission,” Oriaran-Anthony said.
Moreover, in the case of Imo State, Oriaran-Anthony highlighted that INEC released the definitive roster of candidates for the state’s gubernatorial election on June 9, aligning with the regulations stipulated under Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the Electoral Election Timetable and Schedule of Activities.
“After the said publication, the Commission was served with an Order of Court for the inclusion of the PRP and its candidate on the list of candidates for the 2023 Imo State governorship election.
“By virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission is bound to enforce the orders of the court on the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.
“The amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Imo State Governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the Commission,” Oriaran-Anthony said.
On October 10, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled to disqualify Sylva from participating in the upcoming state governorship election. Justice Donatus Okorowo stated that allowing Sylva, who had previously served as the Bayelsa State governor for two terms totaling five years, to contest again would violate the amended 1999 constitution.
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The judge further emphasized that Sylva’s potential victory and subsequent inauguration would result in a tenure exceeding eight years, thereby rendering him ineligible for the race. In a separate ruling, the Federal High Court in Owerri ordered INEC to include the name of the PRP governorship candidate in the list of nominated candidates already published on the INEC website, under Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/35/2023 – PRP & Anor v. INEC, among other cases.