...says alleged criminal records makes Maciver unfit

AS the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, sets to conduct governorship election in Bayelsa State on November 11, 2023, 28 lawyers, Sunday, moved to ensure the running-mate of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Timpre Sylva, Joshua Maciver is disqualified.

This was contained in a suit filed against the defendants, Sylva, Maciver, and INEC, by the plaintiff, Incorporated Trustees of the Trustfield Empowerment Initiative at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

According to the plaintiff in the suit, Maciver's jail term is still running over a criminal offence, and pointed out that based on the current jail term of MacIver, the APC governorship candidate, Sylva does not have a valid running-mate for the election.

Meanwhile, in the suit, the plaintiff decried action of INEC for accepting and allowing Maciver to be Sylva's running-mate despite the Commission knows Maciver currently serves a criminal jail term.

The court summon leaked through an insider working at the court, indicates:
1. Whether having regard to the provisions of Sections 175(1), 182(1)(d) and (2)(c) and 187 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and in view of the conviction of the 2nd Defendant for a sentence of imprisonment, the 1st Defendant does not have any valid candidate as his associate for his running for the office of Governor of Bayelsa State in the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election?

2. Whether having regard to the combined provisions of Sections 175(1), 182(1)(d) & (2)(c) and 187(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended), the recognition and listing of the 2nd Defendant, who is under a sentence of imprisonment, without Presidential Pardon, as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the 1st Defendant in the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election is illegal, unlawful, null and a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended)?

3. Whether upon the community reading of the provisions of Sections 175(1), 182(1)(d) & (2)(c) and 187(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended), the 2nd Defendant having been convicted for a criminal offence with a sentence of imprisonment, without Presidential Pardon, is not eligible to be recognised or listed by the 3rd Defendant (INEC) as the associate of the 1st Defendant for his running for the office of Governor of Bayelsa State in the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election?

4. Whether in view of the conviction of the 2nd Defendant for a term of imprisonment, his recognition by the 3rd Defendant (INEC) as the associate and running mate of the 1st Defendant for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election is not at variance with the Constitution of the Federal of Nigeria, null and void ab initio?
WHEREOF the Plaintiff seeks the following Reliefs:
(a) A DECLARATION that in view of the conviction of the 2nd Defendant for a sentence of imprisonment, the 1st Defendant does not have any valid candidate as his associate for his running for the office of Governor of Bayelsa State in the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election.

(b) A DECLARATION that recognition and listing of the 2nd Defendant, who is under a sentence of imprisonment, without Presidential Pardon, as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the 1st Defendant in the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election is illegal, unlawful, null and a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended), null and void ab initio.

(c) A DECLARATION that the 2nd Defendant having been convicted for a criminal offence with a sentence of imprisonment, without Presidential Pardon, is not eligible to be recognised or listed by the 3rd Defendant (INEC) as the associate of the 1st Defendant for his running for the office of Governor of Bayelsa State in the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election.

(d) A DECLARATION that in view of the conviction of the 2nd Defendant for a term of imprisonment, his recognition by the 3rd Defendant (INEC) as the associate and running mate of the 1st Defendant for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election is at variance with the Constitution of the Federal of Nigeria, null and void ab initio.

(e) AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the 3rd Defendant (INEC) by itself, agents, servants, privies or howsoever described from recognising, listing, publishing or in any other manner whatsoever according any recognition to the 2nd Defendant as the associate and running mate of the 1st Defendant for the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship Election.

APC is like a criminal organisation.

Same thing happened in Taraba state where someone who was barred from political office got his name sent for ministerial appointment.

Na there I fear APC.