APC insists Sylva is its Bayelsa governorship candidate

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that Chief Timipre Sylva remains its governorship candidate for the November 11, 2023 election in Bayelsa State, despite a court ruling that disqualified him.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said in a press statement on Monday that the party and its candidate have instructed their legal team to appeal the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified Sylva’s candidacy on the grounds that he was not validly nominated by the party.

Morka urged the party’s members, supporters, and residents of Bayelsa State to remain calm and await the outcome of the appeal, expressing confidence that the party would prevail.

He accused the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of resorting to “mercenary lawsuits, underhand dealings and antics” to distract and create confusion among the electorate, due to its “lacklustre performance” as the governing party.

He also announced that the party’s governorship campaign flag off would be held on Saturday, 14th October, 2023 in Yenagoa, the state capital, and invited all stakeholders and the general public to join the campaign.

Morka said in the statement, “Against the backdrop of an Abuja Federal High Court decision that disqualified the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, we wish to state categorically that Chief Sylva is and remains the Bayelsa State Governorship Candidate of our great Party in the November 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 State to remain calm and await the outcome of the appeal, and we remain confident that we shall prevail.

“With nothing to offer the Bayelsa electorate, following its lacklustre performance as the ruling party, the jittery PDP in the Bayelsa state has since resorted to mercenary lawsuits, underhand dealings and antics to distract and create confusion among the good people of the state.

“We wish to reconfirm that the Party’s Governorship Campaign Flag Off will be held on Saturday, 14th October, 2023 in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. All stakeholders, Party members, supporters, and the general public are cordially invited to join the winning campaign.”