There is rising outrage among supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the counter suit filed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva against the application filed before the Supreme Court by the immediate past Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri for a review of the ruling dismissing his suit against the party.
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday February 11 dismissed Lokpobiri‘s appeal filed at the apex court praying it to upturn the Court of Appeal judgment which affirmed Lyon as the governorship candidate of the APC.
A five-man panel of the court led by Justice Mary Peter Odili had unanimously dismissed the appeal filed Lokpobiri.
Justice Inyang Okoro who delivered the lead ruling affirmed the January 11 2020 judgment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal which held that Lokpobiri’s suit challenging Lyon’s victory in the September 4 primary election was filed out of time.
Lokpobiri had through his counsel approached the apex court with an application calling for a review of the February 11 judgment.
A notice sent out by one Ukor Michael Akan on behalf of the Hon Chief Registrar to all the parties indicated that the application for review would be held on Tuesday March 24.
“Please kindly note that your case SC/CV/35/2020, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri VS All Progressives Congress is slated for Tuesday 24/03/2020/.
But the closure of courts by the Chief Justice of the Federation over the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic stalled the hearing on the application.
However, supporters of the APC in Bayelsa under the aegis of the APC for Progress and Development led by Comrade Preye Osuede accused the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva of directing one of the Party Counsel, Sidney Barachuka Esq, to file a counter application against the one filed by Senator Lokpobiri for review at the Supreme Court.
According to the Comrade Osuede, though the action of Chief Timipre Sylva is frowned at by the National leadership of the party, the action confirmed the claims by the Former Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Godspower Koku that the duo of the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole and Chief Timipre Sylva worked for the party to upturn the mandate of the party”
“It would be recalled that the state Secretary of PDP, Chief Godspower Keku in his statement insisted that Sylva and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, played a critical role in helping the PDP to wrest power from the APC through the bold decisions of the court. He commended Sylva and Oshiomhole for making it easier for the PDP through their choice of a Governorship candidate and running mate. But we thank him and Oshiomhole for making it easy for us”.
Contacted on the allegation of the APC group, one of the Sylva’s counsel, Sidney Barachuka Esq declined comment on the alleged filing of a counter application at the supreme court but said “ the position of law on the matter is very clear.And the extant law ,whether respondent or no respondent, there are certain things the law would do and there are other things the law will still do.”
