The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reinstated former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa state.
The court reversed the disqualification order handed down on Sylva by the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 9.
A member of the APC in the state, Demesuoyefa Kolomo, had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/821/2023 asked the court to determine whether Sylva was qualified to contest in the election, having occupied the office of governor of Bayelsa from May 29, 2007, to April 15, 2008, and May 27, 2008, to Jan. 27, 2012.
Consequently, Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court ruled that Sylva was sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of the state, and therefore was not qualified to contest again as allowing that would breach the 1999 constitution.
Dissatisfied, Sylva and the APC approached the court of appeal to set aside the judgment in the interest of justice.
The court on Friday, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsamani reserved judgement to Tuesday that the two appeals would be consolidated.
In giving judgement on Tuesday, the judge vacated the decision of the lower court and said Sylva should be reinstated to stand as a candidate for the November 11 election.
