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Appeal court clears Sylva as APC candidate for Bayelsa election
Former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva has been confirmed as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The development counters the October 9 judgment given by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, which nullified the nomination of Sylva as the candidate of APC in the election.
The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, vacated the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja and that the litigant, Mr Demesuoyefa Kolomo, who initiated the suit that led to Sylva’s disqualification, lacked the locus standi (legal right) to do so.
Consequently, the appellate court, beyond setting aside the verdict of the high court, awarded a cost of N1 million against the Respondent, Kolomo.
The lower court had on October 9, declared that Sylva was not eligible to participate in the gubernatorial contest having already spent five years in office as governor of the state.
The court stressed that since the 1999 Constitution, as amended, okayed a maximum tenure of eight years for a governor, should Sylva contest and win the impending election, he would exceed the constitutional threshold by spending a total of nine years in office.
Justice Donatus Okorowo held that uncontroverted evidence that was adduced before the court established that Sylva had earlier taken the oath of office as Bayelsa state governor, on two occasions.
Relying on a Supreme Court decided case law in Marwa Vs Nyako, the judge held that the constitution could not be stretched to elongate the statutory period that someone could serve as a governor in the country.
He declared that Sylva was not a valid candidate for the forthcoming Bayelsa state governorship poll.
According to the court, the trial court was erred in having assumed jurisdiction in the matter on grounds that the plaintiff at the Federal High Court lacked the necessary locus standi to initiate the suit in the first place, having not participated in the primary election that produced Sylva as the flag bearer of the APC in the forthcoming election.
The appellate court said the issue of jurisdiction is fundamental in an election matter, and since the lower court had no jurisdiction in the first place, all actions taken in the matter are declared nullity.
The appellate court, in addition, stated that once a judgment is found to have been delivered without jurisdiction, “no matter how sound” it may be, “it is an exercise in futility”.
The appellate court subsequently voided the decision of Justice Donatus Okorowo, which nullified Sylva’s participation in the November 11 election.
Myesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has sacked the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, FCT-IRS, Mr Michael Ango, of his duties.
The announcement was contained in a statement late Friday by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
The statement added that the decision takes immediate effect.
Olayinka said the minister directed the most senior official of the FCT-IRS to immediately assume leadership of the agency
“The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sacked the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, Mr Michael Ango,” he stated.
He added that “the most senior official of the FCT-IRS has been directed to take over the running of the revenue agency with immediate effect.”
The statement did not provide reasons for the removal.
15 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, have left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Amaewhule disclosed the lawmakers’ decision during Friday’s plenary, attributing their defection to what he called a “clear division” within the PDP.
“Distinguished colleagues, very happily, let me announce that your Speaker has decided, and has indeed written to my ward chairman of my decision, to leave the PDP. APC is my new party,” Amaewhule said.
Amaewhule’s Deputy, Dumle Maol, is one of the 16 lawmakers that joined APC as well.
All the lawmakers, who have jumped ship, are core loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The Central Bank of Nigeria,has rolled out a new framework ito expedite handling of fraud accusations and refund victims.
Customers must report suspected fraudulent transactions within 72 hours under this draft guideline, and financial institutions have 16 working days to look into the matter and repay money.
The action comes in the wake of a dramatic increase in banking sector fraud.
According to data from the Financial Institutions Training Center, losses in the first quarter of 2025 increased to ₦3.29 billion, a startling 603 percent increase over the previous year. In the same time frame, reported cases also increased to 12,347.
The November 26, 2025, proposed regulations seek to improve bank accountability, expedite reimbursements, and boost prevention.
Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department Rita Sike signed the circular, which describes stricter regulations intended to prevent fraud before it occurs.
The apex bank’s ongoing fight against financial fraud has advanced with the adoption of this guidance. To enhance cooperation between operators, it established the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum in 2011.
It directed banks to establish specialized fraud bureaus four years later. By requiring BVN or NIN for account opening, it reinforced Know Your Customer checks in 2023.
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