INEC Awaiting Court Final Decision On Bayelsa APC Gov. Candidate -Spokesman

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, says it is waiting for the final court decision to know the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the Bayelsa State governorship election.

Osun Defender had reported that the candidate of the APC in the November 11 election, Timipre Sylvia, was recently disqualified from being the party’s candidate by a court.

INEC Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, while discussing the issue on Channels Television’s Politics Today said the court’s decision precedes the final say of INEC.

He maintained that the commission must wait because of the ongoing ‘legal’ proceedings to know if the APC will have a candidate in the election.

He said, “What I am saying is that, when the final decision on that particular matter is taken, the Commission will come out to say, ‘This is exactly what the situation is’. But please, let’s take it easy, and let’s wait till the commission takes that decision.

“This is the situation; when there are legal cases, you have to wait until the end of the legal issues.

“Because things can happen within a few days or a few weeks. If you have something today and the person is appealing to a higher court, you have to wait until the higher court takes a decision.”

Oyekanmi also noted that the candidate of the Labour Party in Imo State is also awaiting confirmation from a court order.

“If it is on our website – what I am saying is that we have a period for publishing the list of candidates.

“When a court order comes and says we should drop a particular name and accept another, we do so. And then in the remarks column, we now say ‘by court order.”