In a ruling on Monday, Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja declared that Chief Timipre Sylva, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is disqualified from contesting the November 11 election in Bayelsa State.
According to Justice Okorowo, Sylva’s previous two terms as governor of the state would violate the 1999 constitution as amended if he were allowed to run again.
The judge determined that Sylva cannot participate in the upcoming November poll because he would surpass the eight-year limit for serving as governor of the state if he were to win and be sworn in.
Justice Okorowo referenced the case of Marwa vs Nyako at the Supreme Court, pointing out that the drafters of the constitution explicitly prohibited individuals from being elected as governor more than twice, and both parties in this case agreed that Sylva had been elected into office twice.
The judge emphasized that the Supreme Court had also ruled in the case of Marwa vs Nyako that the constitution’s provisions cannot be extended or altered.
It was held that permitting Sylva to contest the next election would set a precedent where individuals could run for office as many times as they wanted.