Sylva name missing as INEC releases candidates’ list for Bayelsa, Imo polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission has released the amended lists of candidates for Bayelsa and Imo states governorship elections.

The list was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

In the amended list uploaded on the commission’s website on Tuesday, the names of Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Joshua Maciver of the All Progressives Congress were conspicuously missing in the  Bayelsa State election.

The column for the names of the APC candidate and his ruining mate was left blank with “court order” remarks on it.

Also for Imo State, the commission included the names of Uchechukwu Ishiodu as the governorship candidate and Ahumbe Chiazor as the running mate, for the Peoples Redemption Party for the state election.

Oriaran-Anthony, in the amended document, explained that the action of the commission was in obedience to court orders on the lists, served on the commission.

She recalled that the commission published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election on June 9 in accordance with the provision of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.

She said that after the publication, the commission was served with a  court order in respect of 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.

Recall that the Federal High Court, Abuja, on October 10, disqualified Sylva from participating in the state governorship election.