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Bayelsa: Again, Another APC Aspirant Prays Court To Stop Sylva’s Governorship Bid

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Mrs Ogbomade Johnson, an All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for the Nov. 11 Bayelsa governorship election, has challenged the emergence of Mr Timipre Sylva as candidate of the party for the poll.

Johnson made the prayer in a fresh suit filed by her team of lawyers led by Hyginus Ibega before Justice Inyang Ekwo,.

She prayed the court for an order of mandatory injunction compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the names of APC and Sylva from among the list of political parties and candidates for the Nov. 11 poll.

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The aggrieved aspirant also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Sylva, the immediate-past Minister of State for Petroleum, from parading himself as the APC’s governorship candidate in Bayelsa.

She sought a declaration that the APC was duty-bound in contract to commence and conclude primary election in Bayelsa in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the regulations and guidelines of the political party, after having demanded and received the sum of 10 million from her, along with other five aspirants.

Johnson further sought a declaration that by virtue of the conduct of the APC’s primary poll on April 14 in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the regulations and guidelines of the political party, the APC had no candidate to field for the poll, among other reliefs.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC had cleared Mrs Johnson, Sylva, Joshua Maciver, Festus Daumiebi, Mrs Maureen Ongoebi and David Lyon as aspirants in the April 14 primaries.

In the primary election conducted in the 102 of the 105 wards of the eight local governments in the state, Sylva was said to have scored 52, 061 votes; Maciver scored 2, 078; Johnson scored 584; Daumiebi scored 557; Ongoebi scored 1, 277 and Lyon scored 1, 584 votes.

But in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/575/2023 dated April 24 but filed April 27, Johnson sued APC, INEC and Sylva as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

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She sought seven questions for determination.

Johnson said whether having regard to the meaning and intendment of the provision of Section 1(2), 180(2)(a), 182(1)(b) of 1999 Constitution (as amended),” Sylva having being elected two times as governor of Bayelsa was qualified to participate in the APC’s primary election held on April 14, making three times to be elected into the office of governor of the state.

READ ALSO: Bayelsa Poll: APC Chieftain Prays Court To Stop Sylva From Contesting

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She argued that on “a dispassionate consideration of Article 12.8(1), Article 12.9 of the APC Constitution (as amended read together with the judgment of the High Court of Bayelsa delivered on Jan. 20, which nullified the wards, local government areas and state congresses elections held by the 1st defendant in Bayelsa, the nomination of the 3rd defendant as the candidate of the 1st defendant is not illegal and unconstitutional,” among others.

In the affidavit Johnson deposed to, she said contrary to the party’s regulations and guidelines and in breach of the Electoral Act, 2022, the APC’s direct primary did not hold in all the wards in the state.

“Shockingly on the 14th of April, 2223, the said election committee was not seen anywhere in the voting centres and ward headquarters where accreditation and voting were supposed to commence by 8am to 2pm in Bayelsa State.

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“No accreditation of voters took place, no voting and collation of votes occured in all the wards.

“Major General A T. Jibrin (rtd.) who claimed to be the Election Committee Chairman only deceived me and all the teeming supporters to our respective ward headquarter without any primary election,” she alleged.

She said after waiting till 5:30pm on the election day, she and her supporters staged a protest to the party’s state headquarters.

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She said she was surprised on April 15 while listening to a television news to hear that Sylva was declared the winner of the poll by the Jibrin-led committee.

Johnson urged the court to grant her reliefs.

But in a counter affidavit deposed to by Sylva, the ex-minister prayed the court to dismissed the suit.

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He said contrary to Johnson’s deposition, he was pre-eminently qualified to contest for election into the Office of Governor of Bayelsa and did not suffer from any disqualifying factor which barred him from contesting.

“I contested as governor in the 2007 General Elections and I was declared the winner by the 2nd defendant and was subsequently sworn in as the executive governor of Bayelsa State on the 29th May, 2007.

“After I was sworn in on 29th May, 2007, my election as governor was nullified by the Court of Appeal and the 2nd defendant (INEC) was ordered to conduct a re-run election. The said re-run was duly conducted and I won it and was sworn in as governor on the 27th May, 2008.

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“The matter went up to the Supreme Court and same was consolidated alongside that of the then Governors of Kogi, Sokoto, Cross River and Adamawa States as reported in Marwa v. Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Pt.1296).

READ ALSO: Sylva Floors Lyon, Four Others To Emerge Bayelsa’s APC Candidate

“The Supreme Court held that my tenure in office is to be counted from 29th May, 2007, when I was first sworn in and not 27th May, 2008.

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“Thus, upon the judgment of the Supreme Court, I vacated office having done a single term,” he said.

Besides, Sylva averred that he vied for the APC primary alongside five others, including Johnson on April 14, and he emerged its candidate having polled the highest votes from the votes collated from 102 out of 105 wards in the eight local government areas where party members voted in a direct primary in accordance with the guidelines for poll, APC’s constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.

He said contrary to Johnson’s argument, the primary was held and the results in which he garnered the majority of the votes was accepted and he received congratulatory messages from major APC stakeholders in the state, indicative of the fact that his victory reflected the aspirations of the party members.

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He, however, said there was no election in Ward 6 in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA because the register of members was not submitted on time within INEC’s guidelines, and that election did not hold also in Wards 4 and 5 in Nembe LGA because there were disturbances.

He said though the poll was initially scheduled for April 10, due to logistics challenge, it was shifted to April 14.

He said after the poll was conducted, he said a special congress which ratified him as person who scored the highest number of votes was held on April 15 in Yenagoa and his name forwarded to INEC.

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On the judgment that nullified the party’s congress, Sylva said he was aware that the APC had filed an appeal against the Bayelsa court judgment in suit number: YHC/16/2022 between Alex Izibenikiebo Blankson v. APC and three others together with a motion for stay of execution containing in the notice of appeal.

Also the APC, in its counter affidavit deposed to by Dr Stanley Ugboaja, the chief of staff to deputy national organising secretary, asked the court to dismissed the suit.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: INEC Publishes Final List Of Candidates For Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa Guber

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The party argued that the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on Jan. 27, 2012, in respect of the consolidated appeal was actually in support of Sylva’s bid for a second term in office and not against it as falsely stated by Johnson.

It said that the direct primary poll was conducted by its national body in accordance with the guidelines for the conduct of same as well as the provisions of the Electoral Act and its constitution.

The APC, which averred that INEC monitored the poll  also said that the electoral umpire issued a report in respect of the primaries.

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An appeal against the result of the said primaries was lodged with the Appeals Committee of the ist defendant.

“The Appeal Committee rejected the said appeal as unmeritorious. A copy of the report of the Appeal Committee is attached herewith and marked Exhibit F

“That by a letter dated 13th April, 2023, the plaintiff was requested to provide the list of her agents in all the 105 electoral wards in Bayelsa State but she failed to comply.

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“She did not even bother to vote in her electoral ward. A copy of the said letter is attached herewith and marked G,” the party told the court.

Justice Ekwo fixed July 6 for hearing of the suit.

Earlier, NAN reported that an APC member, Chief Demesuoyefa Kolomo, also filed a suit against Sylva before a sister court, praying the court to order INEC to delete Sylva’s name from list of candidates contesting the Nov. 11 governorship poll.

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Court Declines Kachikwu’s Motion Against INEC, ADC Leaders

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declined to hear an application filed by the African Democratic Congress’ 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, refused to entertain the motion.

Kachikwu, through his counsel, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), had sought an order compelling INEC to withdraw the publication of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola’s names as national chairman and secretary of the ADC, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

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INEC had recently recognised Mark, a former Senate President, and Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State, as the party’s national chairman and national secretary.

READ ALSO:Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Refund Of Rivers’ Monies Expended By Ibas

On July 7, Kachikwu and four others – Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammed Khala, and Alaku Godwin William – filed an originating summons challenging the recognition of the duo.

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The suit lists INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola as the first to fifth defendants.

When the matter was called on Friday, Akinlaja told the court that a motion dated September 19 had been filed. He argued that despite the pendency of the suit, INEC went ahead to recognise Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.

The plaintiffs asked the court to set aside the recognition and publication of their names, describing it as a breach of the doctrine of lis pendens. They also sought an injunction restraining Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola from further relating with INEC as ADC’s national officers.

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However, counsel for the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), along with other defence lawyers, opposed the application.

READ ALSO:South African Court Finds Radical Politician Malema Guilty On Gun Charges

After hearing arguments, Justice Omotosho declined to entertain the motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025.

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He said, “This court is not inclined to nullify anything at this stage, whether done before or now. This is a political case. I am not taking any interlocutory matter.”

The judge held that all processes filed by the parties, including preliminary objections, would be taken together with the substantive case.

Despite repeated pleas by Akinlaja for the motion to be heard, the court stood its ground.

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Justice Omotosho also granted an application for joinder filed by Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC deputy national secretary, and ordered that his name be added as a defendant.

He directed the plaintiffs to file the amended processes within 48 working hours and gave the defence seven days to respond. The case was adjourned till October 23 for hearing.

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Fubara Sacks Commissioners, Others

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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked all commissioners and other public office holders serving in his administration.

The decision, according to a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, takes immediate effect and followed the recent Supreme Court judgment.

The governor, during a valedictory session with his cabinet to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the outgoing officials for their services and contributions to the state’s development over the past two years.

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The statement read in part, “Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has thanked members of his cabinet for their services and contributions to the development of the state in the last two years.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Gov Fubara Dissolves Rivers Pension Board

The governor highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s Independence, and called on all Nigerians to work together with Mr President to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous country and a brighter future for all.

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“Furthermore, the Governor has relieved all Commissioners and other public officers affected by the recent Supreme Court judgment of their appointments with immediate effect.”

Fubara also reiterated his commitment to serve the state “with renewed vigour,” while expressing gratitude to Rivers people for their support and wishing Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.

READ ALSO:Why I Refused To Challenge Emergency Rule – Fubara

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Recall that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu, suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara. Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.

Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.

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2027: Crisis Rocks Kaduna ADC Over Power Tussle

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The Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is enmeshed in crisis as a fierce power struggle among leading figures threatens the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

ADC stalwart, Malam Salihu Lukman, raised the alarm on Wednesday, warning that the party may not make a meaningful impact at the polls if the internal rift persists.

In a statement, Lukman alleged that some party leaders have aligned with certain aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections to the exclusion of others.

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He called on former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Malam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and other opposition leaders in the state to halt what he described as “the madness” of candidates bent on hijacking party structures.

READ ALSO:Ex-Tinubu Campaign Coordinator Resigns From APC

According to him, “anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.”

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Expressing concern over the infighting, Lukman said his efforts to mediate had largely failed.

“The fact that Senator Musa Bello is aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure, largely because I am associated with him.

“Senator Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my requests to meet him. I have met Malam Jaafaru Sani on this matter and had discussions with Malam Nasir. Sadly, we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.”

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READ ALSO:Why APC Candidates Contested 2023 LG Election Despite Intimidation — State Chairman

Lukman stressed that he has no political ambition but remains committed to building a united front. “As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

“May I therefore appeal to Malam Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind that it is not just about defeating APC but about producing a government controlled by our party based on collective leadership.

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“We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”

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