From Godwin Tsa, Abuja.
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has dismissed a suit seeking disqualification of former Petroleum Resources Minister, Timipire Sylva from contesting the November governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The suit instituted against the All Progressive Congress (APC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Sylvia was thrown out for want of merit.
In a judgment, yesterday, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the plaintiff, Hon Isikima Ogbomade Johnson failed to establish issues raised in the suit to warrant disqualification of Sylva from the governorship poll.
Among others, the Judge held that the plaintiff failed to establish the allegation that the APC did not conduct a lawful primary election that produced Sylva.
Justice Ekwo said from the uncontroverted independent report of INEC, it was clear beyond any doubt that a valid primary election was conducted by APC and monitored by the electoral umpire as required by law.
He dismissed the police reports tendered by the plaintiff which claimed that no primary election was conducted by APC.
Justices Ekwo said that the purported police reports were worthless and products of illegality because police were not mandated by any provisions of law to do what they did in favour of the plaintiff.
The Judge, among others, faulted the police reports for not being on police letterhead papers to give it semblance of originality while he also said that the duty of police at primary elections is to give protection and safety to election materials and voters.
Besides, Justice Ekwo held that most of the documents brought by the plaintiff were done through the back doors in disregard to the well known established procedures.
Also, the court rejected the suit because it was not instituted within 14 days the subject matter occurred, hence, it became an academic matter adding that since court is not an academic institution, it would not dabble into such a matter.