…As INEC deletes apc’s candidate from list
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Campaign Council in Bayelsa State, Douye Diri has advised the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, to step down from the race as the odds were against him.
According to a statement by Diri’s spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, the Director-General of the Campaign Council, Dr. Mitema Obordor, gave the advice during the party’s Sagbama Local Government Area Constituency 3 rally at Agbere community.
Obordor, who is also the House of Representatives member for the Ogbia Federal Constituency, said that unlike the PDP ticket of Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Sylva does not enjoy any level of acceptance across the state, which is pointer to his imminent failure even if he is on the ballot on November 11.
The campaign DG alleged that Sylva was dishonest after publicly declaring that his ambition to become governor again was over.
He stated that someone who cannot be true to himself should not be trusted with power.
Obordor also stressed that the principle of zoning in the state does not at the moment favour Bayelsa East where Sylva hails from, but rather the Central Senatorial District, which is Governor Diri’s area.
He further stated that Diri’s performance in office has caused members of the opposition in the state to dump their parties to work for PDP’s victory.
He said: “Let me begin my remarks with a call on Timipre Sylva to tow the part of honour and step down from this election.
“There are reasons I say this. The first is that for you to govern a state, you must be seen to be an honest person. You cannot say a thing today and turn 180 degrees tomorrow to do a different thing.
“The same man spoke publicly that the chapter of contesting for governorship was over in his life. So that man is dishonest as far as I am concerned.
“The second reason is that all other factors having to do with determining elections are against him. Number one factor is zoning.
“As far as Bayelsa State is concerned, the zoning principle favours the Central Senatorial District where our governor comes from.
“The third reason is acceptability. You can see the level of acceptance by the people of the duo of Governor Diri and his running mate, Senator Ewhrudjakpo.
“The fourth is performance. This governor has performed beyond reasonable doubt. Even his detractors have been put to shame that they have no option than to say governor we are with you.”
Earlier, Governor Douye Diri inaugurated a newly-built cottage hospital in Agbere community as well as a 3km concrete link road constructed in neighbouring Odoni community.
At Tungbo, Diri thanked the people for always supporting the party to victory and urged them not to relent on November 11.
At Trofani community where the governor inaugurated a 17km of 33kv overhead transmission line and substation done by the state government, he assured the people of more development, noting that his administration will continue to deliver people-oriented projects.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has deleted the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the list of candidates for the forthcoming Bayelsa State gubernatorial election.
INEC on Tuesday released the amended lists of candidates for the Bayelsa and Imo States governorship elections and uploaded the same on the commission’s website.
The list was also signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the column for the names of the APC candidate and his running mate was left blank with “court order” remarks.
The Secretary, Oriaran-Anthony, in the amended document, explained that the commission’s action was in obedience to court orders on the lists served on the commission.
She stated that the commission published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election on June 9 following the provision of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.
However, she noted that the commission was served with a court order regarding the nomination of the APC candidate for the Bayelsa 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 Bayelsa State governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the commission,” Oriaran-Anthony said.
“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.”
Recall that the Federal High Court, Abuja, on October 10, disqualified Sylva from participating in the state governorship election.
The court ruled that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as the Bayelsa State governor, 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 won and was sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as state governor
