Chief Timi Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum, has said that the disqualified deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November Bayelsa State governorship election, Senator Biobarakuma Degi Eremienyo may commit suicide on account of blemish and doubts cast on his name by the case.
Debunking the report of forgery levied against Degi-Eremienyo, Sylva, the APC leader in Bayelsa State expressed shock at the Supreme Court judgment which he described as a travesty of justice that criminalised the APC chieftain..
The minister further affirmed that it was shocking that the apex court did not recommend the prosecution of the APC running mate if it really established the case of forgery.
Sylva spoke on Channels Television Sunrise programme on Monday.
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The minister said, “I have in my hand somebody that is contemplating suicide; somebody that has been criminalised for life. We feel that there are aspects that cannot stand the test of time.”
He confirmed that the deputy governorship candidate has requested the police to investigate him to disprove the allegation of forgery, stating that there was no single allegation of forgery levelled against the candidate.
Sylva said the various name changes in the credentials of the candidate were incidental to cultural variations and mistakes that could not be blamed on the candidate.
“Forgery is supposed to be a criminal offence and when you have this kind of situation you have to come out and correct the impression. There was no forgery here at all. There were just variants of the name on the certificate and the Supreme Court went ahead to uphold the judgment of a lower court.
“We are also saying that the Supreme Court has introduced extraneous things to that judgment. That judgment said that the deputy governor had been disqualified, but that judgment did not disqualify the governorship candidate.
“The Supreme Court went ahead and disqualified the governorship candidate. Where did that come before the court because you don’t give what was not asked?
“We are doing everything to ensure that that doesn’t happen. We cannot cut our noses to spite our face. Peace is good for everybody and that is what is holding now”.
