Dickson tackles Sylva over demeaning comments against judiciary

Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to caution Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, against denigrating the judiciary.

He condemned Sylva’s scathing attack on the judiciary by alleging that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not in a contest with the Peoples Democratic Party, but with the Judiciary.

Sylva had said at an APC rally that the judiciary was targeting the APC and was delivering procured judgments against the party.

He also described the recent judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, barring Peremobowei Ebebi from contesting the December 5, 2020, senatorial bye-election, as a procured one, just as he alleged that the judge was partisan, insisting that the judge previously delivered a similar judgment against the Bayelsa State APC.

But in a statement yesterday, Dickson described Sylva’s outburst as condemnable, rude, reprehensible, and shocking, adding that Sylva had earlier made derogatory comments about the judiciary and judicial officials for doing their jobs in adherence to the ethos of fairness and justice.

He condemned the minister’s penchant for throw invectives at the judiciary with the intent to intimidate, harass and blackmail judges, saying it was a fact that Sylva who is reputed for presenting unqualified candidates for elections in Bayelsa failed to defend his cases in court.

Dickson said that even the two candidates of the APC for the December 5 senatorial bye-elections in Bayelsa West and Central, which are products of Sylva’s leadership, lacked the requisite qualification and were, therefore, unelectable.

“I hereby urge the President to stop Sylva from masterminding violence, subverting the electoral process, and insulting judicial officers in Bayelsa State.

“Sylva does not have what it takes to organise his party to win the election. He insults judges and throws invectives at the judiciary with the intent to harass and intimidate judges from doing their jobs,” he added.