The Peoples Democratic Party and the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, have approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the December 5 election, Timipre Sylva.
They filed the case on the grounds that Sylva had been elected twice as the governor and that he could no longer be eligible to contest in the election.
Sylva won the 2007 governorship election in the state and his election was nullified by the Court of Appeal, which ordered a rerun that was again won by him.
According to a statement by Sony Neme on Friday, in the suit number CV/70/15 Henry Seriake Dickson & ANORVs Chief Timipre Sylva & ORS, the plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether Sylva is qualified to contest as a candidate in the light of the provisions of Section 182 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
The statement partly read, “Section 182 (1) (b) states that no person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a state if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections.
“Thus, the PDP and its candidate, Seriake Dickson are seeking the interpretation of this section of the constitution and for the court to determine whether Sylva who, having already been elected and served for a cumulative period of about four years and seven months as the governor of the state is qualified to seek re-election for a fresh term of four years.”
The court has yet to fix a date for the hearing of the suit.
