Supreme Court Dismisses Sylva's Appeal against Dickson, Others

Ex-Gov. Timipre Sylva

* Ex-governor ordered to pay Dickson N500,000 cost

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, seeking to be declared the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2012 election held in the state.

The former governor had contended that he ought to have represented the party in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State and not the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.

However, ‎in a unanimous decision, the Supreme consisting of five Justices, resolved the two issues raised for determination against the appellant, Sylva.

Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who read the lead judgement, came down hard on the former governor for wasting the time of the court. He awarded N500,000 cost against Sylva, to be paid to Dickson (3rd respondent).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP, who were listed as 1st and 2nd defendants, are to bear their costs.

Sylva (then a serving governor) had won the primary election conducted by the party in January 2011 in anticipation that the governorship election would hold later that year.

Before the election, for which he (Sylva) was to stand as the party's candidate could be held, Sylva got a judgment of a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, extending his tenure. The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment and held that Sylva's tenure would end on January 28, 2012.

In view of the development, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rescheduled the governorship election for February 2012. The PDP was prompted to conduct a fresh primary, for which Sylva bought form, got screened along with other candidates, but was dropped by the party. The primary was won by the incumbent governor, Henry Seriake Dickson.
Sylva challenged the party's decision to drop him.