The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed an appeal brought before it by a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, wherein he sought to claim the candidacy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2012 governorship election held in the state.
Sylva had argued that he ought to represent the party in the last governorship election in the state and not the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.
A five-member panel of Justices of the apex court, headed by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, had, in a unanimous decision, resolved the two issues raised for determination against Sylva.
Justice Ngwuta, who read the lead judgment, criticised Sylva for wasting the time of the court and awarded N500, 000 against the former governor to be paid to Dickson (third respondent in the appeal).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP were listed as first and second defendants in the matter.
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, which he (Sylva) was to stand as the party’s candidate, could be held, Sylva got a judgment of the 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.
