Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor of Bayelsa State, has been disqualified by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on the grounds that Sylva would violate the 1999 constitution as amended if permitted to run again after being sworn in twice and serving as governor for five years.
The judge in the suit filed by Mr Deme Kolomo, a member of the APC also ruled that Sylva was ineligible to contest in the November election because, if he prevails and is sworn in, he would hold the position of governor of the state for more than eight years.
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Justice Okorowo cites the Supreme Court case of Marwa vs. Nyako and points out that Sylva was voted into office twice against the country’s constitution’s drafters’ instructions that no one be elected governor more than twice.
He added that no one is permitted to broaden the constitutional protections or their application, as the Supreme Court determined in the Marwa v. Nyako case. it, if Sylva is permitted to run for office again, it follows that anyone may do it as often as they like.
