TheCable

Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa state, says Timipre Sylva, his rival, has not paid him the N500,000 which the supreme court awarded to him four years ago.

According to Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Dickson’s chief press secretary, in 2012, five justices of the apex court led by Sylvester Ngwuta, awarded the money against Sylva in the case he brought against the incumbent governor.

Sylva won the primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted in January 2011 and his name forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission ((NEC) as the party’s candidate, but he lost the nomination after the election was cancelled.

He contested in another primary but could not secure the party’s ticket, making him to challenge Dickson emergence.

Sylva, who contested the last governorship election in Bayelsa on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lost to Dickson again.

Having lost at the tribunal and appellate court, he headed for the apex court. But Dickson has accused him of not having regards for the court.

“Sylva is yet to pay me the sum of N500,000 as ordered by the highest court in the land, thereby disrespecting the apex court. It is therefore surprising that it is still the same apex court Sylva is returning to ask the Supreme Court to remove Governor  Seriake Dickson on the  frivolous grounds that the election which brought him to office was unknown to law,” read the statement signed by Iworiso-Markson.

Dickson alleged that Sylva who is known for holding the apex court in contempt has reverted to the same court for justice.

After Sylva’s futile attempt to challenge his victory at the Supreme Court, Governor Dickson said Sylva committed contempt of Court in 2012 by refusing to pay him the sum of N5000,000 being the amount the supreme court ordered Sylva to pay him as damages for abusing court process and for wasting the time of the justices.