Bayelsa guber poll: Ex-Gov Sylva heads to S’ Court
Ex- Governor of Bayelsa State and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 and 2016 governorship elections in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, has filed a law suit at the Supreme
Court to appeal the judgment of the appellate court which upheld the
election of the incumbent governor of Hon. Seriake Dickson.
Chief Timipre Sylva is asking the apex court to set aside the judgment of
the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which dismissed the appeal seeking
to overturn the decision of the Bayelsa State Election Petitions
Tribunal which upheld the election of Dickson as winner of the last
election in the state.
But the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake
Dickson, while reacting yesterday tothe development, stated that the
former Governor, Timipre Sylva lack respect for the Judiciary and
particularly the Supreme Court.GovernorDickson,in the statement signed
by his Chief Press Secetary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson averred that
former Governor Sylva, who is known for allegedly holding the apex
court in contempt has reverted to the same court for justice.
According to him,” After Sylva’s futile attempt to challenge his
victory at the Supreme Court, Sylva committed contempt of Court in
2012 by refusing to pay him the sum of N.5 million being the amount the
Supreme Court ordered Sylva to pay him as damages for abusing court
process and for wasting the time of the justices”.Dickson pointed out
that “if Sylva had respect for the judiciary he would have paid himthe
N500,000 as ordered by the Supreme Court”.
The Supreme Court, consisting of five justices in 2012, had in a unanimous judgement
resolved in favour of Dickson, the two issues raised by Sylva for
determination before awarding the damages.”
According to the statement, “Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who read the lead judgement,
was hard on the former governor for wasting the time of the court and
awarded N500,000 as cost against Sylva to be paid to Dickson, the 3rd
respondent.
Whereas the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) and the PDP, who were listed as 1st and 2nd defendants, were to
bear their costs”.
“Sylva is yet to pay me the sum ofN500, 000 as
ordered by the highest court in the land, thereby disrespecting
the apex court.
It is therefore surprising that it is still the same
apex court Sylva is returning to ask the Supreme Court to remove
Governor Seriake Dickson on the frivolous grounds that the election
which brought him to office was unknown to law”.
