The All Progressives Congress governorship flag bearer in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has been disqualified by the Federal High Court.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday held that Sylva had been sworn in twice and further swearing-in would go against the 1999 constitution.
In a ruling delivered by
Justice Donatus Okorowo, the court held that the APC governorship candidate had served for five years as governor of Bayelsa State.
The judge stated that Sylva was not qualified to run in the forthcoming November poll because he would have spent more than eight years in office as governor of the state if he wins and is sworn in, according to Daily Post.
While citing the case of Marwa vs Nyako at the Supreme Court, Okorowo maintained that the drafters of the country’s constitution stated that nobody should be voted for as governor more than two times and that the parties to the suit agreed that Sylva was voted into office two times.
According to the judge, the Supreme Court has also ruled in the case of Marwa vs Nyako that nobody can expand the constitution or its scope.
It held that if Sylva was allowed to contest the next election, it meant a person could contest as many times as possible.
