Bayelsa: Appeal court orders inclusion of APC’s Lyon

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted an exparte order of injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from disqualifying the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress  (APC), David Lyon in Bayelsa State elections holding  on Saturday.

The three-man Appeal Court panel led by Justice A. O. Lokulo-Sodipi also restrained INEC from executing the orders of Federal High court to remove the name and logo of the APC and its governorship candidate, David Lyon,  from the governorship race.

Justice Lokulo-Sodipi,in a ruling on Friday, held that the panel abides by the decision made by Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which compelled INEC to maintain status quo from the September 18, 2019, when the matter was instituted, pending the determination of motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

The Appeal panel, thereafter, ordered that applicants should serve all the respondents notices and other processes before adjourning till November 21, for mention.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the proceedings,  counsel for  the governorship candidate of APC, Michael Numa, welcomed the decision of the Appeal Court, which, he said, has given the APC and its governorship candidate, the opportunity to participate in Bayelsa State governorship poll.

Similarly,  counsel for APC, Sydney Igbanichuka said   that the position of the Court of Appeal would give opportunity to correct every wrong in the decision of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, the state capital.