Tribunal Dismisses Sylva’s Request For Members To Step Down.

Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed a motion filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the last governorship poll in the state, Timipre Sylva requesting members of the tribunal to recuse themselves from further hearing his petition.

Sylva, who is by his petition, challenging the outcome of the election, claimed in the motion that his party and himself (the petitioners) lacked confidence in the capacity of the tribunal’s members to do justice in the case.

In a ruling on Monday, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adekunle Adeleye held that a letter from the President of the Court of Appeal on March 5, mandated the tribunal to proceed with the hearing of the petition irrespective of any application by the parties.

Justice Adeleye added that the directive, as contained in the letter by the President of the Court of Appeal, has overridden the request by the petitioners for the tribunal members to disqualify themselves from further hearing his petition.

Lawyer to the petitioners, Tunde Falola had, while arguing the motion on Monday said his clients were convinced beyond reasonable doubt that they could not get justice from members of the panel.

Falola said it was the view of his clients that members of the tribunal have exhibited some conduct that made them believe that the petitioners would be denied a fair hearing.

He prayed the tribunal members to, in the interest of justice, step aside and allow the President of the Court of Appeal to reconstitute a fresh panel to hear the petition within the time left for the expiration of the petition.

The tribunal has however adjourned till March 13 for INEC, listed as the first respondent, to open its defence.