By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—The Bayelsa State Election Petitions Tribunal has begun a pre-trial hearing in the petition by Chief Timipre Sylva, former state governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the National Assembly election, against the declaration of Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as senator-elect for the East senatorial district of the state.

Sylva, the APC flag bearer for the Bayelsa East senatorial district, had approached the tribunal, headed by Justice Ononoeze Madu, asking for a declaration that the candidate of the PDP, was not qualified to contest the National Assembly election due to his dual citizenship and his refusal to relinquish such before the election.

He is also contending, in the petition, that due to the irregularities and manipulations allegedly carried out by the PDP and its agents during the election in Brass and other parts of the senatorial district, his candidature should be upheld and be declared valid winner of the National Assembly election.

At the pre-trial hearing of the tribunal, yesterday, Sylva’s counsel, Abang Odok Ogar, urged the tribunal to grant the motion for an extension of time to respond to the objections raised by the duo of Bruce and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.