The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday dismissed a suit seeking to stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva, from participating in the upcoming election. The appellant, Mrs Isikima Johnson, who contested the APC primary and came fourth, challenged Sylva’s victory at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court, led by Justice Binta Zubar, affirmed the dismissal of the suit and imposed a N1 million fine on the appellant. Justice Zubar stated that the suit was not only unjustifiable but brought in bad faith against the respondents.
She emphasized that there was overwhelming evidence that the primary election was legally conducted, citing the uncontroverted independent report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The court held that the case of the appellant was statute-barred as it was instituted outside the 14 days allowed by law for pre-election matters.
The dismissal of the suit is a significant development ahead of the scheduled governorship election in Bayelsa. This decision follows a previous dismissal of a suit by another APC member, Demesuoyefa Kolomo, seeking to disqualify Sylva, on October 31. The court had held that the litigant lacked the locus standi to initiate the suit.
The rulings affirm the eligibility of Timipre Sylva as the APC Governorship candidate for the election, allowing the political process to proceed without hindrance.