By Becky Usman

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared its intention to proceed with the campaign launch for the November 11 Bayelsa governorship election, even after the disqualification of its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, by a court ruling.

Earlier reports indicated that Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had disqualified Sylva from participating in the upcoming gubernatorial polls. The judge argued that Sylva, who had previously served two terms as Bayelsa governor, would violate the 1999 Constitution if allowed to run again.

However, the APC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, released a statement asserting that Sylva remains the party’s gubernatorial candidate.

Morka stated, “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.”

Morka also alleged that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had resorted to legal maneuvers and tactics to disrupt the electoral process in Bayelsa, highlighting the PDP’s desperation to maintain its grip on the state.

In the face of this legal challenge, the political landscape in Bayelsa remains uncertain, and it will be interesting to see how the situation develops in the lead-up to the gubernatorial election.