Bayelsa: Court hears Sylva'sjoinder application today

THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will this morning hear the application filed by Governor Timipre Sylva seeking to be joined in the suit filed by Seriake Dickson, praying it to declare him the lawful standard- bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Bayelsa State governorship election. The presiding judge, Justice Gladys Olotu, had last week granted an ex parte order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to re-list Dickson's name in the list of governorship aspirants in Bayelsa state. Sylva had described the order as 'immoral, ungodly and pathetic', saying it was "obtained by fraud in the dead of the night.' When the matter came up, on Thursday, counsel fot Dickson, Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), applied to the court for adjournment on account that he had just been briefed and, therefore, needed time to study the file so as to represent the interest of his client 'properly and professionally.' Gadzama insisted that under the rules of court he was entitled to seven clear days within which to respond to Sylva's joinder application adding that his time was still running.However, counsel for Sylva, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), argued that the application for adjournment was deliberately to delay hearing of his application because they had already gained an advantage by 'the extraordinary order of mandamus issued by the court.'Fagbemi said he was convinced that if all the facts of the subject matter had been brought before Justice Olotu, including the pendency of the subject matter at the Supreme Court, she would not have made the order. He reminded the court that time had already been abridged in the matter and, therefore, Gadzama could not rightfully lay claim to seven days to respond to his joinder application. He further advised INEC to conduct itself in a manner that would not portray it to be in collusion with Dickson. In her ruling, Justice Olotu struck out Dickson's preliminary objection to Sylva's joinder application following its withdrawal by Gadzama and adjourned hearing of the said application till today.
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