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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disclosed it will carry on with the date to launch its campaign in Bayelsa State ahead of the November 11 governorship election set to hold in the State.
This is amid uncertainty after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja disqualified governorship candidate of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, from the election.
While Sylva has filed an appeal against the judgement disqualifying him and also filed a stay of execution of the judgement, the APC says it plans to go ahead with the October 14 campaign launch in Bayelsa.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Morka stressed Sylva remained the party’s candidate for the election, in spite of the court ruling.
“We wish to state categorically that Chief Timipre Sylva is and remains the Bayelsa Governorship Candidate of our great party in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election.
“Our party and its candidate have duly instructed the legal team to appeal the said decision of the Federal High Court, diligently and expeditiously.
“We urge our teeming members, supporters, and residents of Bayelsa to remain calm and await the outcome of the appeal, and we remain confident that we shall prevail,” he said.
Morka said that with nothing to offer the Bayelsa electorate, after its poor performance as the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had since resorted to mercenary lawsuits.
He added that the PDP had also resorted to underhand dealings and antics to distract and create confusion among the people of the state.
He said all stakeholders, party members, supporters, and the general public were cordially invited to join the winning campaign.
Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a judgement delivered on Monday, disqualified Sylva from featuring in the November 11 governorship election.
Okorowo ruled that Sylva having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of Bayelsa would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again.
Sylva candidacy: What APC National Chairman said on judgement
Meanwhile, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, APC National Chairman, had said the APC also will appeal the court judgement passed against the candidacy of Sylva.
Dr Ganduje, who disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents on Tuesday in Abuja, described the judgement as unfortunate, noting however that it was actually democracy in action.
“Well, it’s unfortunate that judgement, but we can say that it is democracy in action.
“But, we learned that the person who took the issue to the court is not even qualified, because he did not contest with Sylva.
Therefore, he’s not even qualified for him to take the issue to the court. However, we are appealing. We’re waiting for the judgment and then we appeal for calm on that issue,’’ Ganduje said.
TNG reports Sylva was Bovernor of Bayelsa between 2007 and 2011 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Ganduje, however, said that the judgement would not deter the party from its arrangement for the election coming up next month.
He said, “Last two weeks, I was in Bayelsa for two good days and I think they were ready and they’re still ready to win the election.
“Therefore, this is a little distraction anyway, but we will overcome it. We believe the appeal court will give us positive judgment but that will not stop us from making arrangement for the forthcoming election.”