Bayelsa election: Court throws out suit to stop Sylva

Lanre Adewole, Abuja.- 16.05.2008

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday struck out a suit seeking to stop former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, from participating in the re-run governorship election in the state scheduled for May 24.

Two indigenes of Bayelsa State, Nato Amada and Erefegha Furo, brought the suit which Justice George Kolawole struck out for want of jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs are challenging the eligibility of Sylva to contest the re-run polls on the allegation that he was not a sound mind.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had endorsed Sylva as its flag bearer for the election.

When the matter came up, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Babafemi Adegbite, had attempted to argue an ex parte application seeking to serve the processes on Sylva by substituted means, but Justice Kolawole stopped him and asked him to first address him on whether or not the court had jurisdiction to entertain the action.