The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has excluded the name of the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Timipre Sylva, from the final list of candidates for the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The amended list, which was uploaded on the commission's website on Tuesday, was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

Sighted by Vanguard yesterday, the column for the names of the APC candidate and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, was left blank with "court order" remarks on it.

According to Oriaran-Anthony, the action of the commission is in obedience to court orders on the lists, served on the commission.

Recalling that the commission published the final list of candidates for the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election on June 9, in accordance with the provision of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Election, she said after the publication, INEC was served with an order of court in respect of the nomination of candidate of the APC for the poll.

"By virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the commission is bound to enforce the orders of the court on the nomination of candidates by political parties in the state.

The Amended list of candidates in respect of the 2023 Bayelsa State governorship election is hereby amended pursuant to the orders of court served on the commission," Oriaran-Anthony said.

On October 10, the Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified Sylva from participating in the state governorship election.