For filing what the court of appeal considers a frivolous case against INEC and the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, the immediate past minister of state for petroleum and candidate of the APC in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has been punished by the appellate court.
The appellate court panel headed by Justice H.A Barka, with Justices A.B Mohammed and P. Obiorah as members, imposed a cumulative fine of N400,000 in favour of INEC and three other respondents, including the PDP, Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Sylva, joined by the APC, had 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.
Sylva had earlier written to President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, alleging bias against tribunal but the application was dismissed and the panel was directed to continue with the petition before it.
The APC and its candidate then filed an interlocutory appeal No. CA/ABJ/EP/GOV/BY/09/2024 against the decision of the election tribunal refusing to recuse itself from continuing hearing of their petition and for amendment of the record of proceedings.
On Monday, the appellants filed a notice of withdrawal of appeal and when the matter was heard on Tuesday, the appeal court panel dismissed it and awarded costs against Sylva and the APC.
