APM seeks PDP’s exclusion from Bayelsa council polls

The chairmanship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa State, Hon Tombra Kelvin Teibowei, has sued the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC) asking for the exclusion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from participating in the upcoming area council elections in the state.

Teibowei is also seeking an order stopping BYSIEC from including PDP in the elections on account of the allegation that it did not conduct any primary or submit the names of candidates at the close of submission of such on March 15, 2022, in accordance with BYSIEC’s timetable before the process was put on hold.

Another relief sought by the claimant is an order directing the 1st defendant, BYSIEC, to publish the names of nominated candidates of political parties that were submitted before the published deadline.

In suit YHC/58/2022, which was filed by his counsel, Barr E.G. Okele, and has PDP as the second defendant, Teibowei is also praying the court to compel BYSIEC to fix a date for the postponed council elections.

Recall that BYSIEC last year fixed May 14, 2022, for the local government elections three months before the expiration of the tenure of elected officials in the local government councils before it later postponed the polls.