Boma Achenimie 
Appeal Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on Tuesday fined the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, a total sum of ₦400,000.
The Court judgment followed an interlocutory appeal filed by Sylva that was deemed unnecessary and led to a waste of both the court and the respondents’ time.
However, the ₦400,000 penalty benefits the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and three other respondents, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Douye Diri, and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Justice H.A. Barka presided over the appellate court panel, joined by Justices A.B. Mohammed and P. Obiorah, who collectively dismissed the appeal seeking the dissolution of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
Sylva and the APC filed an application to withdraw their appeal, which sought to compel the chairman and members of the Bayelsa State Election Petition Tribunal to recuse themselves from the tribunal.
READ ALSO:
- Sylva Mourns Ex-Acting Bayelsa Governor, Binabor
- Sylva: Nigeria’ll support OPEC, GECF’s efforts to stabilise energy market
- Sylva applauds UTM Offshore, technical partners on multi-billion dollar FEED
The APC candidate had written to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, alleging bias against the tribunal.
However, the application was dismissed, and the panel was directed to continue with the petition before it.
The All Progressives Congress and its candidate filed an interlocutory appeal (No. CA/ABJ/EP/GOV/BY/09/2024) against the election tribunal’s decision.
They requested that the tribunal recuse itself from continuing hearing their petition and amend the record of proceedings.
The appellants submitted a notice of withdrawal for the appeal on Monday, and during Tuesday’s hearing, the appeal court panel dismissed it, fining Sylva and the APC.
