There is an uneasy calm in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, as the hearing of the substantive suit filed against the Bayelsa All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Joshua Maciver, over alleged ineligibility to contest the November 11 poll is set to resume today.

A female governorship aspirant of the APC, Ikisima Johnson, who also participated and lost the party’s primary to the eventual winner, Timipre Sylva, is challenging Maciver’s eligibility, praying his disqualification as the party’s running mate.

Her petition was on the alleged grounds that Maciver was an ex-convict, who was sentenced to 10 years prison term for terrorism and sea piracy, but escaped from prison without completing his sentence.

In suit number FHC/YNG/CS114/2023/, the APC was listed as the 1st defendant, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Timipre Sylva, and Joshua Maciver as 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants, respectively.

This is coming as a civil society group, Coalition for Social Justice and Equity Initiative, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj. Gen. Tariye Ndiomu (rtd.) and Sylva to undermine court processes.

They alleged that Sylva and Ndiomu were engaged in secret negotiation to insert Maciver’s name into PAP database and tender an affidavit to back it up in court.

The group, in a statement in Yenagoa, called on the trial Judge, Justice Olaide Quadiri, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to be on red alert to apprehend Ndiomu, Sylva and Maciver over alleged attempt to submit falsified affidavit and documents to the court.

The group, through its Public Relations Officer, Ezra Areo, said: “We are calling on the trial judge and IGP to be aware that the document to be tendered are fake and an alleged attempt to lie on oath. Maciver has long been verified not to be on the list of amnesty beneficiaries.”

The Bayelsa APC deputy governorship candidate, a few months ago, was involved in a controversy over his conviction and involvement in jailbreak after he was allegedly convicted by a court, and was sent to Kaduna State to serve his 10 years sentence for sea piracy and terrorism.”